The Flower of Gondor
by Hex Of The Unseelie
Summary: Boromir and Faramir find a girl in the woods, can they give her the family she never knew of will Denethor not approve? What happens when a romance starts?
1. Lost in the Woods

Title: The Flower of Gondor  
  
Summary: Brothers Boromir and Faramir find a girl in the woods and take her back to their own house, she's lost and in need of a family. Will Denethor allow her to stay and can she fit in with people so different from her own?  
  
Genre: Drama, angst, romance, action, adventure.  
  
Warnings: None, no slash, no sex scenes.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR or any of the characters except the girl, she is my idea and came from an inspiration from another one of my stories I wrote, "From Bottom To Top".  
  
Autheress Note: This is set when Boromir is seventeen, and Faramir twelve, or the year 2995. ~  
  
Two brothers, very much alike in looks were making their way through the forest close to their home. The elder one by five years, Boromir, was leading the way, the younger one, Faramir followed close behind him listening for the sounds of deer and other animals that they could possibly hunt for.  
  
"Don't make so much noise Boromir." Faramir whispered to his elder brother.  
  
"I am not the one making all the noise dear brother." Boromir answered back.  
  
"I haven't seen anything for the past hour Boromir, can we go back and practice weaponry? At least we actually get to do something there." Faramir sighed.  
  
"I told father I would bring him a deer for dinner tonight." Boromir protested.  
  
"He knows you really aren't going to catch one." Faramir whispered mostly to himself, unfortunately a little too loud.  
  
"I heard that." Boromir turned and glared at his brother.  
  
"Sorry." Faramir shrugged, "Truth hurts."  
  
Boromir narrowed his eyes but said nothing else.  
  
Something caught Faramir's eye suddenly, it was a flash of red among the dark trees, "Boromir, did you see that?!"  
  
"See what?" Boromir turned and aimed his bow towards where Faramir was looking.  
  
"It was red, I don't think it was an animal." Faramir pushed Boromir's bow down.  
  
"Hello?" Boromir called out to the woods.  
  
The two boys stood waiting for something to happen, nothing did. Boromir sighed and turned to start back towards their home, "Come on, you're right, let's go back."  
  
Both boys turned to see a young girl, dressed in red, holding lightly onto a tree.  
  
"Hello." Faramir smiled at her, "What are you doing out in the woods by yourself, it's not safe for little girls you know."  
  
The girl didn't say anything but closed her eyes and slowly fell backwards into the flowers.  
  
Boromir and Faramir ran to her aid immediately.  
  
"Careful!" Boromir warned his brother as they knelt over the beautiful girl, she couldn't be anymore than fifteen or sixteen. The girl half opened her eyes and looked up at Boromir, he knew she needed to be taken to the infirmary.  
  
"I'll carry her." Boromir gently slid his arms under her light body and lifted her off the ground, little flowers from the ground her sticking in her, she looked like a fallen goddess, more beautiful than either the boys had ever seen.  
  
As Boromir lifted her something slid from her hands that neither of the boys noticed, a small pendant that had been hanging from her neck but had recently broken off. It slid from her delicate hands and dropped to a nest in the flowers where it lay for years to come.  
  
Boromir tried to hurry as fast as he could without letting the girl be bounced around in his arms.  
  
They made it back to Minas Tirith without much delay and had to make their way up the levels to their own palace infirmary. Boromir sent Faramir to fetch the head healer right away.  
  
"What is it my boys?" The healer came in looking startled.  
  
"We found her in the woods, she just fell down." Faramir explained quickly. The healer moved in and started looking over the girl, in a few moments he looked quite relieved, "Well I'm glad to tell you that she is fine, she just needs some water and food. I'd say she has been wondering by herself for quite some time and, another interesting discovery I have made it she is an elf." The healer smiled at the boys.  
  
"A what?" Boromir had thought he had heard the healer wrong.  
  
"An elf." The healer moved the girls long brown hair away from her ears to reveal their pointed tips.  
  
"She is an elf." Faramir said in a state of small wonder.  
  
"Yes. After I wake her we will bring her to the court where you may all eat together and learn why she has come here." The healer gathered his herbs and waved them under the girl's noise. Soon enough her eyes fluttered open. She looked around a bit confused of where she was.  
  
"Hello, my dear, you are quite all right here. These two found you in the woods where you fainted and have brought you back here." The healer smiled and stood.  
  
"Where, where am I?" The girl shook her head.  
  
"You are in Gondor, in the house of Denethor, son of Ecthelion and Steward of Gondor." The healer said in his calming voice.  
  
"Oh." The girl obviously didn't quite understand.  
  
"Come, Boromir and Faramir here with take you to get some food, that is all you need to fell better. Remember not too eat to much or too fast, it will make your stomach upset." The healer smiled and left the room. The girls' eyes lit up at the sound of food, she had obviously not eaten a full meal in quite some time.  
  
"Come, we'll take you." Boromir offered his arm to the girl who sat up slowly and gently placed her hand on his arm, "I am Boromir and this is my younger brother Faramir, we are the sons of Denethor."  
  
"Oh, I am Ciara." The girl replied softly, looking around in wonder at the sights before her.  
  
"You are an elf?" Faramir asked and receiving a bitter look from his brother.  
  
"Yes, I am. You are not, I can tell." Ciara nodded and looked at Faramir.  
  
"We have never seen an elf before. You are not so very different." Faramir looked in wonder at Ciara.  
  
"I have never seen mortals before." Ciara smiled back at Faramir and Boromir and was silenced as she entered the formidable hall that Denethor occupied, he was already sitting at the long table, waiting for his sons to arrive.  
  
"You are late today." Denethor looked up as the three entered.  
  
"Sorry father. I would like to introduce you to Ciara, we found her in the woods, that is why we are late." Boromir introduced Ciara and she smiled and bowed at the steward.  
  
"Welcome, Ciara, tell me what were you doing in the woods that my boys had to find you?" Denethor had barely even given her so much as a glance and went straight to eating.  
  
"Let us sit and eat and you can tell us your story, Ciara." Boromir suggested and pulled out a seat for Ciara to sit.  
  
The three sat down and both Faramir and Boromir looked expectantly at Ciara for her story. Denethor, though ate his food like there was nothing unusual going on in his halls.  
  
"Well, you know I am an elf-" Ciara said and Denethor looked at her covered ears instinctively, "I was born in Rivendell, though I don't remember my real mother or father. They both died very shortly after I was born, captured by orcs. I was raised a little by everyone there and never had a family of my own. I wanted to see the world so I left about a year ago and I have been traveling ever since, though mostly into elven realms. Somehow I ended up our here away from all I knew and I ran out of food and water and you two found me in the forest." Ciara stopped and looked up, "I want to thank you for that by the way." She smiled at the brothers.  
  
"It was out duty to protect you and that's all." Boromir smiled back at her.  
  
"Well, Ciara, that is an interesting story you have there. When do you plan to return to Rivendell and your people then?" Denethor sat back in his chair, pleased with his feast.  
  
"I don't really want to go back actually. I don't fit in there, or anywhere really. I don't know what I want to do." Ciara looked down at the table and fell silent.  
  
"Well, until you decide you must stay here with us, we have more than enough rooms for you to stay in." Boromir suggested excitedly, "Is that okay father?" Boromir asked.  
  
"If that is what you want my son." Denethor nodded and stood to take his leave, "You can show her to a room and get her some more clothing, I will place her keeping into your hands." Denethor nodded to his sons and left the room.  
  
"I must say sorry for my father, he is a nice man-"  
  
"Once you get to know him." Faramir cut in on his brother.  
  
"Yes, he will warm up in time, I know he will." Boromir smiled hopefully.  
  
"Thank you for letting me stay here. You two are the nicest anyone has ever been to me." Ciara smiled happily and picked delicately at her food.  
  
~ 


	2. Foreign Feelings

The Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
Lady Nessa Fefalas: Thank you for reviewing and your comment on Ciara's name had no offense at all. Actually it's kind of strange that you mentioned it because- well read this chapter and you'll find out! I had it all planned before you reviewed and said that! Thanks again! Hope you enjoy!  
  
~  
  
The three finished their meal and the two boys led Ciara to her room, down the same hall as their own rooms.  
  
"If you need anything don't be afraid to ask us." Boromir looked at Ciara, she stood in the bedroom taking in the beauty and lavishness of the room.  
  
"There's also Airana, your servant if you need anything, she is readying your bathe for you now." Faramir added.  
  
"Thank you both so much." Ciara smiled at the two and watched as they left the room.  
  
"The boys don't get to be around young girls much, this is something new for them." Airana came out of the bathing room and smiled at Ciara, "I'm Airana and I will be taking care of you while you are here." Airana was an older woman with a mass of blonde hair twisted around her head and a smile that made you feel comfortable instantly around her.  
  
"Oh, thank you. I have never had someone to wait upon me before." Ciara smiled and headed towards the bathing room, "A hot bathe?"  
  
"Yes, I'm willing to bet you haven't had one of those in days." Airana smiled and helped Ciara peel off her dirty, torn clothing.  
  
"No, in almost a year probably. Streams are nice for once in a while but I missed the feeling of clean warm bathe water." Ciara stepped into the tub and felt like she was stepping into a dream, "It feels so good." Ciara closed her eyes and slid into the water.  
  
"You have some rest and I will back in half an hours time to check on you." Airana smile and shut the door behind her.  
  
Airana left Ciara's room and started down the hallway when she was stopped by Boromir, "How is she doing." He asked as he met her.  
  
"She's fine, my dear, no need to worry about her. She is taking a hot bathe now, she needs one too. If she comes out before I get back tell her I am getting her some new clothing." Airana instructed Boromir and walked off down the hall holding Ciara's dirty dress.  
  
Boromir felt something he had never felt before, he pictured Ciara in her bathe right now and had a sudden urge to go into her room and join her. He had never had thoughts like this before.  
  
"Boromir, want to go practice some weaponry?" Faramir came up behind his brother breaking him out of his reverie.  
  
"Uh, yea, sure." Boromir shook the images of himself and Ciara out of his head.  
  
"What's wrong with you? You seem kind of out of it right now." Faramir looked at his brother.  
  
"I was just thinking." Boromir shrugged.  
  
"Oh, that's right, something you don't do much. Sorry to interrupt." Faramir joked.  
  
"I was thinking about Ciara." Boromir snapped back at his brother and followed him down the hall.  
  
"What about her?" Faramir gave his brother a strange look.  
  
"She is very pretty, don't you think?" Boromir questioned his brother.  
  
"I guess so, yea, she is, she's an elf. She is suppose to be." Faramir nodded.  
  
"Well, I've never felt like this about a girl before." Boromir said quietly.  
  
"Why, do you like her or something?" Faramir didn't quite understand, not yet being at that age of being interested in girls like his older brother was.  
  
"Well, I don't really know her yet so I can't exactly say that but, I think she is very beautiful and my body gets kind of weird feeling around her, like I want to hold her and kiss her and things like that." Boromir tried to explain.  
  
"Oh, I remember our nurse telling us this."  
  
"Telling us what?"  
  
"That we will like girls someday and we'll be attracted to their bodies mostly at first then grow to realize it's their personality that matters the most, or something like that." Faramir tried to recall what their nurse had told them.  
  
"Well, my body seems to like her very much. We'll see about her personality. Though she seems very nice, and it's sad that she has no family."  
  
"We could be her family." Faramir looked at his brother.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"She could stay here, with us. We don't have a sister, she could be our sister." Faramir smiled at his idea.  
  
"She is an elf, we are mortal. Besides, what would father say?"  
  
"He wouldn't mind having a daughter, even an elf one." Faramir was getting excited.  
  
"Well, don't get to excited about that idea yet. We'll see." Boromir shook his head.  
  
~  
  
The boys practiced their weaponry not long before Boromir wanted to go back and check on Ciara.  
  
"Okay, but she's fine. Airana is taking care of her." Faramir didn't understand why his brother would want to go back already but followed none the less.  
  
~  
  
Airana placed the five dresses she had gotten from the seamstress that seemed to be most likely to fit.  
  
"Which one do you like dear?" Airana asked Ciara as she looked at the dresses.  
  
"I like the red one, it is very beautiful." Ciara picked up the dress, a brilliant shade of red and a simple detail of white flowers around the hems.  
  
"I think it would look very nice on you, let me help you get it on." Airana took the towel Ciara had wrapped around herself and helped her into the dress. It was only a bit loose, Ciara was showing plenty of signs of only have eaten very minimal for quite some time, "I will get the seamstress to make some ones that'll fit you but, we'll wait until you have fatten up for a while." Airana smiled and smoothed out the few wrinkles in the dress. "It's been ages since I have dressed a woman in these halls. Denethor's wife was the last woman in these halls. I hope you stay for a while. The boys could use a girl around."  
  
Just them there was a knock at the door, "I will get that for you." Airana headed towards the door and there stood Boromir and Faramir outside, "Come in you two. Things are going fine, we are just dressing Ciara here." Airana stepped aside to let the boys in.  
  
Ciara stood at the end of the bed smiling as the boys entered.  
  
Boromir couldn't help but notice how stunning she looked in the dress, albeit it was a tad large on her, it barely hung in her shoulders and dipped a bit lower than it meant but covered enough not to be inappropriate.  
  
"Ciara, you look lovely." Boromir smiled and headed right towards her.  
  
"Oh, thank you." Ciara smiled shyly at the compliment, for it was not often she was greeted with such sweet words.  
  
"Do you wish to see the rest of the city, you didn't see much on the way in after all." Boromir suggested and Airana discreetly slipped into the bathing room but still could hear their short conversation.  
  
"I would love to." Ciara agreed and took Boromir's outstretched arm for guidance.  
  
He likes her, Airana thought happily to herself, she could only hope Denethor would let her stay.  
  
~  
  
"Tell me what it is like to live here." Ciara asked as the three headed out of the palace and through the courtyard to get to the main parts of the city.  
  
"Well, since we are the sons of the steward we are always busy. We practice hunting and fighting and weaponry, stuff like that all the time. Father wants me to become captain of the guard soon." Boromir explained briefly.  
  
"Steward of Gondor? Why not king?" Ciara asked.  
  
"You do not know?" Faramir asked from his place behind the two, he was beginning to feel very left out.  
  
"No, tell me." Ciara looked back at the younger brother.  
  
"The king left a long time ago and the stewards took up rule of the city in wait for a king's return, that's the story in short." Boromir shrugged, he personally though the story was ridiculous and was happy with the fact he would someday be steward.  
  
"That's so interesting. So after all these long years the people of Gondor are still waiting the return of their king?" Ciara misread what Boromir was saying and though the whole idea was quite romantic.  
  
"Not really. Everyone knows there are no more kings to take the throne. It's just stewards ruling from now on." Boromir shook his head, "Tell me about your people." He changed the subject.  
  
"Oh, well I never knew my mother or father, like I said before." Ciara fell silent for a moment, "Actually my story before wasn't quite the whole truth."  
  
"What do you mean?" Boromir looked at her.  
  
"Well, I was born in Rivendell and my parents were captured and killed by orcs. I was sort of taken care of by anyone who would. I don't know why but my parents weren't the most popular of elves in Rivendell and no one really wanted to take me in and care for me."  
  
"That's horrible." Faramir interjected.  
  
"Yes, so I mostly took care of myself and wandered in elven realms before I realized that my own people really didn't want me so I left. My real name was Ciarawen but when I left I changed it."  
  
"Why, that is a beautiful name?" Boromir couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
  
"I guess it made me feel that a new name would change the way people acted towards me." Ciara shrugged, "I traveled into mortal lands and there I was afraid to get to close to people because I thought that they would treat me the same way and in some places elves aren't the most welcome of creatures. So I tried hiding my identity and the fact that I am an elf. I traveled all the way out here, ran out of food and water and I was found by you two in the woods. That is my real story, I'm sorry I didn't tell it to you before but I have never told anyone that before."  
  
"It's okay. I wouldn't want to tell a story like that to just anybody either. I'm glad that I found you-"  
  
"We found you." Faramir corrected his brother  
  
"We found." Boromir said, "I want you to stay here. We can be the family you never had. People here won't know who your parents were, we like elves, it'll be good for you." Boromir looked into her eyes.  
  
"I want to. I really do want to so bad." Ciara sighed, "What about your father? And where would I stay?"  
  
"You would stay where you are now, father won't mind if I ask him." Boromir smiled hopefully at her.  
  
"I can't make any promises yet." Ciara smiled back.  
  
~ 


	3. A Brotherly Gift

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
After Boromir and Faramir escorted Ciara back to her room so she could prepare for dinner that evening and the formal meeting of the guards and servants and such in the house of Gondor.  
  
"Let us go talk to father now." Boromir led Faramir towards the main hall where Denethor was sure to be sitting.  
  
Denethor, as expected, was sitting in the hall in his black chair looking out the window over his lands.  
  
"Father, I wish to speak to you for a moment." Boromir stood before his father awaiting his reply.  
  
"Yes my son?" Denethor slowly looked away from his dazed expression out the window and at his eldest son.  
  
"The girl you met at supper today, she has no family and I want her to stay here." Boromir stated what he wanted, he knew his father wouldn't deny him such a small thing as this.  
  
"You mean for her to be yours?" Denethor said casually.  
  
"No, she would be more like a foster child of yours. I want her to have all the privileges of a daughter of a steward." Boromir went on.  
  
"If it is what you wish, she shall be admitted tonight then?" Denethor had no problem letting his favourite son have nearly everything he wished, as long as it was of no consequence on his part. Letting the girl stay would be not trouble in his empty, quiet household in the halls of the stewards.  
  
"Yes, if she is ready for it." Boromir turned and smiled at Faramir, "See?" he mouthed.  
  
Faramir rolled his eyes, he loved his father but earning his love in return was no easy feat for the younger, less-favoured son, and of course Boromir would get what he wanted.  
  
"You two may leave now." Denethor dismissed the two and returned back to looking out his windows over his dominion.  
  
Boromir kept smiling as he left with Faramir to relay the good-news back to Ciara.  
  
~  
  
Ciara stood in front of the long mirror in her room, it was the first time she had had the opportunity to admire herself in formal dress. She thought the dress was very beautiful indeed.  
  
She turned around and let the dress swirl around her bare feet, it felt good to be so dressed up. In the back of her mind she couldn't help but think what Boromir would think of her.  
  
"You look stunning, you know." Airana smiled at Ciara, and she was telling the truth, "You will have to beat men away with a sword." Airana laughed.  
  
"You think? I've never been so clean and dressed in my life. It feels odd, but good." Ciara turned around once more and was feeling a bit vain about herself at the moment, she liked to look at herself in the mirror.  
  
A knock on the door broke Ciara out of her self-adoration  
  
"Ciara! I have some news!" Boromir called through the door.  
  
"Let him in please." Ciara nodded to Airana.  
  
"Ciara!" Boromir burst into the room as soon as Airana opened the door, "I have just spoken with my father and you are to be part of our family! You will be a foster child, with all the rights and privileges as if you were his real daughter. Will you stay? Please?" Boromir took Ciara's hand and held it.  
  
Ciara stood for a moment, she had never had a family to call her own and here was a family, and not to mention a well to do family willing to take her in where no one knew her or her past, it was a chance to start anew. Ciara glanced towards the mirror, the image staring back at her told her an answer, yes.  
  
"Yes. Yes! I will stay!" Ciara smiled and hugged Boromir, full of hope for the future  
  
"Then tonight Denethor will announce it." Faramir added, feeling slightly left out from the happiness and feelings of joy-ment from earlier in the day as well.  
  
"Oh good!" Ciara left Boromir's arms and gave Faramir a hug as well.  
  
"Well, you boys should go and get yourselves dressed then and I will finish with Ciara here." Airana stepped in so that they would all be at least on time for dinner.  
  
Ciara pouted slightly but watched as Boromir and Faramir left through her double-doors.  
  
Airana frowned a little, she could tell Ciara was getting used to an easier life already and she couldn't tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing but she had a feeling that Ciara's past was very much behind her now.  
  
~  
  
Boromir and Faramir waited outside Ciara's room after they had finished dressing so they could escort her to dinner.  
  
Ciara opened the door and both the boys saw her finished product, her hair was braided intricately, very much in an elven fashion, her robes were completely on and she had small feminine shoes on that Airana happened to find hidden away with some of the boy's late-mother's things.  
  
"You are very beautiful." Boromir couldn't help but gaze upon Ciara's obvious beauty.  
  
"Stunning." Faramir agreed. Both taking in the low neckline and tight- fitting waist that was unknowingly very tempting the way it tied in the back and the sheer black over the blood red was tantalizing to Boromir.  
  
Ciara gushed in the complements and allowed herself to be lead down the hall to the dining hall.  
  
~  
  
The dining hall was barely crowded with just a few of the highest ranking guards and the advisors to Denethor, and of course Denethor himself.  
  
Boromir and Faramir entered and all eyes immediately turned to Ciara and, Ciara felt it. She smiled at them all and let Boromir introduce her and show her off to the guards. Finally they made their way to Denethor who sat watching the proceedings from his usual perch on his chair at the head of the hall.  
  
"Father." Boromir and Faramir nodded to their father, "This is Ciara, the lost elven maiden from the woods." Boromir reintroduced Ciara.  
  
"Ciara." Denethor nodded shortly at her and looked back at his son.  
  
"Will you please announce her position to the people now?" Boromir reminded his father.  
  
"Yes, yes." Denethor waved his hand and stood. The room immediately went silent, though few were truly intent on listening, "My people of Gondor, I want to make an announcement." This caught very few people's attention, "This is Ciara, the lost elven maiden of the woods. Upon the wish from my eldest son she is to become my foster daughter, she will be treated as though she were my real daughter from this day forth." Denethor pronounced to his people.  
  
This announcement surprised nearly everyone in the room, it was known that since the death of his wife Denethor rarely even looked upon a women and now he was taking in a daughter. Immediately the whispers went out it was only because his eldest son wished it that Ciara would stay.  
  
Boromir gave Ciara another hug and lead her to the table where they would sit among other young captains of the guard.  
  
"Ciara, pleased to meet you." The young guards began to bow and smile and size up their prospects of being able to court the young elf immediately and Boromir was well aware of this.  
  
One young guard seemed particularly interested in Ciara. Boromir immediately felt competition arise in him and especially since in training this guard had beat him in the last swordsman-ship competition and was named a guard before him.  
  
"Ciara, your beauty could not be seen among the women of Gondor if I had looked a life time." The guard, Cael smiled and Ciara blushed and laughed and, unfortunately for Boromir, sat across from him.  
  
"Oh, thank you. You flatter me so." Ciara looked around the table at the other men staring at her in awe.  
  
"I am Cael, a guard of Gondor." Cael took Ciara's hand and kissed it.  
  
"Cael, I do not believe that a mere guard has the honour of being able to kiss the hand of the daughter of a steward." Boromir so kindly reminded Cael.  
  
Cael looked up at Boromir and forced a smile, "Boromir. I see you have not yet become a guard." Cael mentioned, knowing it would anger him.  
  
"I see that you are still one of the lowest ranks among guards though you have been a guard for quite some time now." Boromir sneered back at Cael.  
  
Ciara could sense the rivalry between and felt honoured that she cold bring about such a thing.  
  
~ 


	4. In Vain Attempt

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
Autheress Note: I took a lot of liberties with the guard thing here, please bear with me but the books don't really go into detail about that sort of thing and I figured it would be easier to make up my own version! ~  
  
Boromir watched as the guards around the table began to all tells of their few deeds and of their bravery like they had saved the world. Ciara was the reason, all the guards were enamored with her and wanted to impress her. Boromir was feeling a bit bitter about the fact that he himself was not yet a guard. He soon would be and was waiting to join the guards until he could become at least a second level guard. He knew that most of the these guards joined as young as they could and at level one, the lowest level and the level that really doesn't do more than keep the weapons and such clean and sharpened, not desirable work.  
  
Boromir tried to push that out of his mind, when he became a guard, and not a level one guard he could pay them all back dearly for their taunts now.  
  
"Imagine that, being by yourself in this world with no friends or family, you have to be the bravest maiden I have ever met." Cael was complimenting Ciara once again. It broke Boromir out of his thoughts.  
  
"Oh, well I didn't know what else to do. I'm so glad I did or I would have never have made it here." Ciara couldn't stop smiling from all the compliments and obvious stories all aimed to catch her attention.  
  
Boromir looked over at Faramir who was sitting in silence, listening to the stories himself.  
  
"You've been quiet." Boromir commented.  
  
"So have you." Faramir looked at Boromir.  
  
"Well, can't say much when all the guards are telling their stories." Boromir muttered so only Faramir could hear. Faramir knew his brother was eager to join the guards and it hurt his pride that all his friends and many of the other young men were already guards and he wasn't.  
  
"That's okay, remember she gets to stay with us when they all have to go back to sharpening swords." Faramir reminded Boromir, knowing what his brother needed to hear.  
  
"Yea, I guess your right. Still I am sick of their stories." Boromir turned back to see one guard telling an embarrassing story of another one and Ciara shaking with laughter.  
  
"Boromir, when are you going to join the guard?" Cael looked at Boromir with a smirk.  
  
"Very soon Cael." Boromir stared back trying not to let his comments get to him.  
  
"Really? You know, I am going to be raised in level soon probably. Who knows if we'll ever get to fight together in the same level." Cael smiled.  
  
Boromir bristled inside, he couldn't stand Cael's smart-aleck comments and would love nothing more than to take him outside and show him the meaning of pain instead, he took a breath and smiled.  
  
~  
  
After what seemed to Boromir to be an eternity dinner ended and the guards had to all leave. The only people left in the halls were Boromir, Faramir, Ciara, and a few other guests talking to Denethor and the guards of the hall.  
  
"The guards all seemed very nice." Ciara turned to face Boromir.  
  
"Yes, they all seemed to like you very much." Boromir smiled at Ciara.  
  
"Yes, I thought that's what all the stories were about." Ciara laughed.  
  
"You guys want to go outside?" Faramir asked after a few moments of silence.  
  
"I'd love to." Ciara agreed.  
  
The three stood looking up at the stars in silence for a few moments.  
  
"Ciara, do you think you will be happy here?" Boromir looked over at Ciara.  
  
"I think so. I'm tired of being alone, I want a family, a place to stay." Ciara smiled at Boromir and Faramir.  
  
~  
  
Airana opened the door to the kitchen, there were three other women in the room already talking.  
  
"What do you think about all this?" One of the women asked another.  
  
"Hello, girls." Airana smiled at the three, they were all good friends.  
  
"Airana! We have been waiting for you! What is this Ciara like? And why did Denethor take her in?!" One of the women, Morwen asked as soon as she saw Airana walk in.  
  
"Oh, that's an interesting question." Airana sat down at the table with the other three.  
  
"She is pretty isn't she?" Another, Irathen commented.  
  
"Yes, she is very pretty, she is an elf." Airana nodded.  
  
"An elf! What is she doing out here?" The third, Fingulas exclaimed.  
  
"Her parents are dead and she's been wondering around, something of that sort and she is now here." Airana briefed the three.  
  
"Oh, why then, did Denethor take her in?" Irathen was confused, Denethor was not a very giving spirit.  
  
"Boromir wanted it." Airana sighed.  
  
"Oh." A collective sigh, the three words that explained nearly everything Denethor did, everything for Boromir.  
  
"Well, tell us about her then." Fingulas urged Airana.  
  
"I can't really say anything yet, she seemed very nice and sweet when I first met her but I think it will not be too long before we see a very different side of her." Airana began.  
  
"What does that mean?" Morwen asked.  
  
"I think very soon she will be very used to being shown off as Boromir's pretty little elf-maiden, you know what I mean?" Airana tried to explain what she wanted to say.  
  
"You think she will become, easy?" Morwen whispered.  
  
"Very." Airana nodded.  
  
"Airana, how can you say this about her. She just arrived!" Fingulas broke in the gossip.  
  
"Tomorrow morning, come with me to help prepare a bath and Ciara's clothes and you'll see what I mean." Airana offered Fingulas.  
  
"All right, fine. And I'll show you that you are judging her to soon." Fingulas agreed.  
  
~  
  
"I think I should go back to my rooms now, I am tired." Ciara finally said to Faramir and Boromir.  
  
"We will walk you back." Boromir nodded.  
  
Boromir offered his arm and Ciara took it.  
  
"Do you think Denethor will like me?" Ciara asked Boromir on the way back to her room.  
  
"Yes, just give him some time." Boromir nodded. Boromir glanced at his brother quickly, Faramir didn't look back.  
  
Boromir stopped outside Ciara's door, "Good-night, Ciara. I will come get you in the morning for breakfast.  
  
"I will wait." Ciara smiled and turned to go into her room.  
  
"Boromir," Faramir said as the two turned to head towards their own rooms, "When are you going to join the guard?"  
  
"Soon."  
  
"I think you should do it by the end of this month. You know you are already at least a level two, you don't have to worry about that." Faramir said.  
  
"I know, I would like to go right into level three though." Boromir nodded.  
  
"I think we you join I will too." Faramir said quietly, all most as if he was afraid of what Boromir might say.  
  
"You could get into level two easily." Boromir nodded.  
  
"You wouldn't be angry then?" Faramir asked.  
  
"No, unless you made a higher level then me." Boromir joked.  
  
"That won't happen, you know you are a better fighter than me." Faramir clapped his hand on Boromir's shoulder.  
  
"Yes, I know, little brother." Boromir smiled and disappeared into his room.  
  
Faramir smiled as he shook his head and went into his own room.  
  
~ 


	5. For the Love of a Son

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
Denethor sat in his room at the dark wood table, looking out over his city. He could see Osgiliath, nothing more than a dark spot in the distance.  
  
"Tell me, what do you think of this elven maiden I have taken in for my own daughter." Denethor said loudly to the lone, unfortunate servant standing out of sight in the corner.  
  
"Sir?" The servant stepped forward slightly, not really sure that Denethor was talking to him.  
  
"This girl, what do you think of her?" Denethor repeated himself.  
  
"I think she is very pretty." The servant said, his voice shaking lightly.  
  
"Pretty. Is that all?" Denethor asked once again, not even bothering to look at the servant but still staring out in a daze over his lands.  
  
"I don't know her, I've just seen her with your sons." The servant stepped slightly back into the shadows of the corner.  
  
"Do you think I could grow to love her as one of my own?" Denethor finally turned to look at his servant. The man stood, terrified of what might come out of his mouth. There were so many things he wanted to say to Denethor, speak his true feelings.  
  
He didn't even love his younger son, how could he ever love some lost little girl?! He should have let Boromir have his way with her and sent her to one of the houses for parentless children in the village. He could do nothing but corrupt this beautiful little elf maiden.  
  
"In time, my lord, in time." Was all that the servant could muster to say. He pressed his lips together, he felt like the words would come rushing our if he didn't keep them in.  
  
"I suppose. It will be nice to have a girl around won't it though? She will make Boromir happy." Denethor gathered his heavy cloak and stood slowly from his chair to make his way to his large bed. He laid down without bothering to take his clothes off and in what seemed to the servant like mere minutes was sound asleep.  
  
~  
  
The next morning Airana and Fingulas were in Ciara's room to prepare her for the day.  
  
"I'm telling you right now, in a short time she will be in other people's beds more than her own." Airana whispered to Fingulas as they poured water into Ciara's bath to ready it for her.  
  
Ciara awoke in lay in bed lazily for a while.  
  
"Your bath will cool if you wait much longer." Fingulas warned Ciara.  
  
"Let it cool, I don't want to get up yet." Ciara yawned and stared out the open window. A soft breeze was making its way through the room and blew the sheer dark red drapes over the door.  
  
Airana raised her eyebrow at Fingulas and Fingulas shook her head, that meant nothing.  
  
"Do you think the boys are up yet?" Ciara rolled over and looked at Fingulas. Airana had noted that Ciara hadn't even bothered to ask Fingulas her name or so much have really even taken notice there were two servants for her this morning.  
  
"I'm certain they are." Fingulas nodded.  
  
"Then I might as well get up. Come wash my hair for me." Ciara pushed the covers off her and headed towards the bathing room. Fingulas noticed she had a perfectly envious body. Her waist was slim and well toned, her hips flared out slightly, enough to swing back and forth when she walked to draw your attention to her equally well-toned buttocks. She had a body men loved and every women dreamed of. Fingulas followed her into the bathroom and helped her out of her night robe. She had a hard time not staring at her beautiful flawless skin. Her neck was slender and the muscles in the back were delicate, she had long thin arms and delicate feminine hands. Her face made a beautiful oval with lips that seemed to be ever ready to pout or kiss. Her hair was what caught the most attention from Fingulas, she got a chance to really look at it was she washed it. At a first glance she would have called it black but, a second look would shame the first one. It wasn't dark enough to be black yet not light enough to be brown, when it moved and the light caught in it their seemed to be mahogany tints in it, giving the impression of a warm fire.  
  
"You have beautiful hair, lady Ciara." Fingulas ventured to say while she combed it out.  
  
"Oh, I guess I never really noticed it." Ciara take a handful of her own hair and looked at it, "It is kind of pretty isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, such a strange colour to it." Fingulas let Ciara's long hair fall back into the water with a small smack. Airana stood in the doorway shaking her head.  
  
~  
  
Boromir knocked on the door and tugged consciously at his tunic. It was so strange; he never used to care about what he looked like but ever since she came here.  
  
"Coming." Airana called, she knew very well who it was outside the door. Ciara though, had another idea. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself before running to open the door, "Boromir!" Ciara smiled.  
  
Boromir stood, stunned at the sight before him, Ciara wrapped in towel. Though the towel was very large and fell to the floor and covered her very well but still the thought struck Boromir in a strange way, "Good morning Ciara." Boromir smiled and took only one glance before settling his eyes on her face.  
  
Airana scoffed in disbelief and rushed to the door, "Really, this is improper!" She tried to drag Ciara away from the door.  
  
"I'm not quite ready yet but I will be soon." Ciara pushed her partially drying hair behind her delicately pointed ears.  
  
"I'll wait for you. Faramir still isn't completely up yet either." Boromir nodded and stepped back from the doorway.  
  
Airana quickly closed the door and pushed Ciara towards the wardrobe, "Really! You shouldn't expose yourself like that in front of a man." Airana would have added especially Boromir but thought better of it and besides, Fingulas walked out of the bathing room at that moment.  
  
"I want to wear red today." Ciara flipped her hair over her shoulder and waited for someone to pick her out a red robe. Fingulas nodded and headed straight towards the wardrobe, "What about this one? I think it would look very nice with your hair." Fingulas held the robe in front of Ciara and admired it.  
  
"I guess, it's a nice one." Ciara nodded and let her robe slid to the floor so Fingulas could help her dress. Fingulas was pleased that Ciara had liked her selection and cheerfully helped her dress and even volunteered to do her hair, "I will do it, thank you, Fingulas." Airana stepped in, "You can make the bed please." Airana added.  
  
Fingulas frowned at Airana but headed towards the bed after all, Airana had seniority.  
  
"I would like some braids, make them look elven." Ciara directed Airana and sat to let Airana work. Airana sighed and began to work on Ciara's hair, not bothering to be gentle and not pull.  
  
"Oh! What do you think you are braiding some horses hair! Have the other girl do it!" Ciara said after a few pulls on her head. Fingulas smiled and made her way over to take over Airana's job. She was careful not to pull and concentrated her hardest to make it look perfect for Ciara.  
  
"Very well." Ciara admired her braided hair and stood to leave.  
  
"Perfume, my lady?" Fingulas asked before she could leave. Ciara nodded and stood while Fingulas sprayed a little over Ciara.  
  
"I like you, you can come back everyday." Ciara said as she left the room.  
  
"I don't see at all what you are talking about, she is nice. Fingulas said after Ciara left.  
  
"Oh, yes, really nice. Did you see how she ran to Boromir in naught but a towel!?" Airana exclaimed, "I tell you, men are going to like her in a very bad way!"  
  
~ 


	6. A Few Good Men

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
Ciara followed the two brothers down the hall, "Where are we going?" Ciara asked as she took in the sights of the palace, she hadn't really taken in anything she had seen yet n the palace and was beginning to notice things.  
  
"Just to the dining hall. After that I am going to join the guards." Boromir said proudly.  
  
"Guards?" Ciara wasn't really quite sure what they did.  
  
"Yes, they watch over the city and such things. I wanted to wait until I could get at least second level so I didn't have to do the dirty chores that first level has to do." Boromir explained briefly, it was also tradition for the stewards son to wait for some time before he joined.  
  
"That's good. Will you be away a lot?" Ciara hoped that he would not.  
  
"Probably but, you can always come visit. I am sure the other guards won't mind." Boromir guessed, and quite correctly at that.  
  
The hall was nearly empty when the three arrived and the few people who were in the hall were just guards and servants. All their eyes were on Ciara as she entered; many of these servants had not yet seen her and of her beauty, which rumours were spreading like wildfire through Gondor about.  
  
"That is good. I wouldn't want to stay in the palace waiting for you to return all day." Ciara smiled happily.  
  
The three ate quickly and Boromir hurried to leave to join.  
  
"I think he will make at least third level, if not fourth." Faramir commented after Boromir left.  
  
"I don't understand the levels." Ciara said to Faramir.  
  
"There's different levels of skills in the guards, first through seventh and eighth level is Captain." Faramir explained to Ciara who seemed vaguely to understand.  
  
"I see, and Boromir wants to be a level-"  
  
"He wants to go in level four, than he would be a Guard of the City. He would patrol the inside of the city and make sure everything is fine here." Faramir looked down where a group of guards had assembled and were currently talking.  
  
"What exactly do you have to do to join the guards?" Ciara asked.  
  
"Nearly anyone could join at level one, otherwise you have to basically show you strength and skill and how well you can handle all the different weapons, also your knowledge of warfare and things like that. I am going to join tomorrow, if Boromir makes it but, of course he will." Faramir smiled at Ciara.  
  
"You couldn't join today?"  
  
"It's tradition for the sons of the steward to wait quite some time before joining and then the first son joins first then the other sons the days that follow." Faramir shrugged, "Just traditions."  
  
"Well, I like that." Ciara smiled.  
  
~  
  
Later that day Boromir returned to the palace, very dirty but with a very big smile.  
  
Ciara and Faramir were standing the side of Denethor as Boromir walked towards them.  
  
"Tell me, my son, what level have you made?" Denethor smiled at his first born.  
  
"I have made guard, father, at a level seven." Boromir couldn't help but break into a bigger smile.  
  
"Level seven!?" Faramir exclaimed  
  
Denethor broke into a smile, the first one Ciara had seen on him and stood to congratulate his son. Boromir hugged his father and gave Ciara a wink as he did so.  
  
"Well, well, I believe that is a record, is it not?" Denethor stood looking proudly at his son.  
  
"Yes, I broke it by two levels. The highest level gone into was fifth level now, it's seventh." Boromir laughed, happy with himself and knowing that his father was extremely pleased as well.  
  
"Congratulations my brother!" Faramir smiled and gave Boromir a hug as well, "What did I tell you." He whispered while they hugged.  
  
"Very well done, Boromir." Ciara stepped forwards to give Boromir a hug as well.  
  
"That is my son, I knew he would always be the best." Denethor returned to his seat still smiling proudly at his son.  
  
Faramir said nothing but stepped back to stand next to Ciara.  
  
"Thank you father, I'm going to change now." Boromir took his leave and Faramir and Ciara followed.  
  
~  
  
"I can't stand it when he acts like that!" Boromir shook his head as soon as the three were well away from the hall.  
  
"Boromir, it's okay. He was just happy for you." Faramir patted his brother on the shoulder.  
  
"He doesn't have to treat you like dirt! You are his son as well! I am no better than you!" Boromir stopped and looked at Faramir, Ciara stood silently off to the side, not wanted to interrupt them.  
  
"Boromir, I know that he does care for me, deep down otherwise I wouldn't be here." Faramir tried to console his brother.  
  
"I want him to show that he cares though! He never shows it. He acts like you are something he doesn't want or need! I'm sick of it. Any other father would be happy with two sons but not him." Boromir looked out of the dirty window over their busy city.  
  
"It's okay. At least you show you care, that's what matters. I know someone cares." Faramir smiled at Boromir.  
  
"Yea well, someday he'll be sorry he treated you like this." Boromir muttered and turned to continue towards their rooms. He wrapped his arm around Ciara's waist as they went, she wasn't forgotten.  
  
~  
  
Later that evening Boromir, Faramir, and Ciara were sitting outside with quite a few of the upper level guards, talking and eating their dinners.  
  
One of the newly promoted guards had taken a fancy to Ciara, as had many of them but he was one of the few brave enough to venture talking to her.  
  
"So, I hear you are an elf?" The guard, Dredor smiled.  
  
"Yes." Ciara was sick of being asked that question; it gets very old, very fast.  
  
"I've never met an elf before." Dredor smiled and moved a bit closer.  
  
"Fancy that. Well, now you have." Ciara forced a smiled and stepped away from the guard towards the safety and protection of Boromir.  
  
"Yes, we ride tomorrow to Rohan. I hear Eomund has had another child, a girl." The Captain of the guards was telling the level seven guards who would be riding with him.  
  
"Why are we going?" One of the guards questioned.  
  
"Just regular visit, keep the peace and such things but, mostly to do some trading and of course-"  
  
"Drinking." The guards chorused together.  
  
Boromir laughed along with the rest of the men, excited about finally being able to leave the city.  
  
"You will be gone?" Ciara frowned a bit.  
  
"Not for long. Faramir will be here though." Boromir comforted Ciara.  
  
"Oh, that is good. I thought you both had to go." Ciara's frown lightened a bit.  
  
"No, he will stay and care for you." Boromir gave her a small kiss on the cheek that made her face flush. Ciara couldn't help but let a small smile come to her lips. She had never been kissed before, not even on the cheek.  
  
"Boromir!" Rydon, Boromir's only good friend finally found Boromir, "I heard the news!" Rydon embraced Boromir. He himself was only a level four guard. "Both about your guard level and your new beautiful sister. Is this her?" Rydon smiled at Ciara, still at Boromir's side.  
  
"Yes, this is Ciara, my new foster-sister." Boromir introduced Ciara, "And this, Ciara, is my friend Rydon."  
  
"Nice to meet you." Ciara smiled at Rydon.  
  
"Enchanted." Rydon gave a little bow of his head.  
  
"You ride tomorrow Boromir?" Rydon asked.  
  
"Yes, I go to Rohan with the other guards. I will only be gone for a short time though. No more than a month's time." Boromir nodded, he hadn't seen his friend in some time.  
  
"Well, then I guess I'll have to watch Ciara here, won't I? Wouldn't want Cael's dirty hands near her!" Rydon laughed.  
  
"Is that how you heard of Ciara?" Boromir couldn't stand Cael in the least.  
  
"Partially, that how I heard how beautiful she was and how he would court her if it killed him-"  
  
"I will kill him if he goes near her." Boromir grumbled to himself.  
  
"But otherwise, word spreads like wildfire through this city, everyone was talking about it." Rydon shrugged.  
  
"I thought as much." Boromir nodded.  
  
"Where is little Faramir? I haven't talked to him in what seems forever." Rydon looked around for sign of Boromir's brother.  
  
"I don't know. He was talking to some of the level six guards over there but I haven't seen him in a while." Boromir looked for a sign of his brother.  
  
"All right then, see you when you get back from Rohan, don't scare to many horse there with your ugly face!" Rydon joked as he left.  
  
"He's funny, I like him." Ciara smiled at Boromir as Rydon left the two.  
  
"Yes, I've known him since I was very young." Boromir nodded.  
  
~ 


	7. Long Road Ahead

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
Autheress Note: Guess what? This time I am actually writing my story according to the timeline in the appendixes and all! So everyone is proper age and all that fun stuff, though some of my math could be wrong. (Oh well!) If I do have someone's age wrong please inform me, or my muse the Balrog, thank you! Oh yea, one more thing. I think (after carefully inspecting the appendixes and the maps) that it must take nine days to get from Gondor (Minas Tirith) to Rohan (Edoras). Though I could be wrong and I fixed my other chapter where it said they would only be gone five days!  
  
~  
  
The next morning Ciara awoke to someone knocking at her door.  
  
"What?" Ciara called, she was still tired and didn't want to get out of bed.  
  
"It's Boromir. Can I come in?"  
  
"Yes, the door is not locked." Ciara called, glad it was him.  
  
Boromir opened the door and was silenced by the sight in front on him, Ciara hidden under delicately woven sheets sat propped against a mountain of soft embroidered pillows waiting for his reason for coming.  
  
"Sorry to wake you but our court counselor wants both you and Faramir to come to Rohan with me. He thinks it might improve relations or something like that." Boromir informed Ciara.  
  
"When do we leave?" Ciara tried to stifle a yawn.  
  
"I will have Airana in here to pack your things in a few minutes, we leave in two hours. I will be back here then and we will leave." Boromir smiled and turned to see Airana standing in the doorway already, "Oh, good, you're here. Pack Ciara's things for her she will need clothes for a week, make sure they are some of the nicest she had. We need to be very presentable, we are going to see King Thranduil in Rohan." Boromir instructed Airana before he left.  
  
Airana nodded, though with a frown and headed towards the wardrobe to pick out Ciara's clothes. Fingulas was at the door only moments later to help Ciara bathe.  
  
Airana was wholly unpleased about this situation, have Ciara leave with nothing but a bunch of young, lustful men and no chaperone was anything but a good idea. She didn't even bother to look at the robes and dresses she was pulling from the wardrobe but folded them and shoved them into two packs.  
  
Fingulas and Ciara emerged from the bathing room and Fingulas came to see what Airana had packed.  
  
"Oh, Airana, she is going to see a King, you have to pack nicer things than this!" Fingulas pulled out a brown riding dress from the pack.  
  
"I'm tired. I can't help it." Airana sniffed and hung the dress back in the wardrobe.  
  
"Oh, no, this isn't Ciara's colour at all!" Fingulas placed a lavender dress next to the brown one in the wardrobe, "Airana, all her nice dresses are in this wardrobe, you know that." Fingulas closed the wardrobe Airana was in and opened the one on the other side of the full-length mirror, the one with the formal dresses.  
  
"Then you pack them!" Airana threw her hands into the air and stormed into the bathing room to clean up in there.  
  
"May I pack your dresses, my lady?" Fingulas turned to Ciara where she sat at her dressing mirror running a brush through her long hair.  
  
"Someone has to!" Ciara exclaimed.  
  
"I will do it!" Fingulas agreed with a smile and began pulling different red, burgundy, and wine-coloured dresses for Ciara to wear. They were the ones that looked the best one her.  
  
"Come help me with me hair." Ciara called to Fingulas after she had finished packing the dresses, all folded neatly and tucked into packs so they wouldn't be wrinkled when they arrived in Rohan. Fingulas hurried over to Ciara to help her with a simple but tight hairstyle, feminine and pretty yet good for riding with.  
  
Airana came out of the bathing room and shook her head with disgust at how Fingulas was fawning over the vain elf.  
  
Finally all the preparations were made and Boromir came to Ciara's room to tell her is was time to leave.  
  
"Come, we don't want to be left behind." Boromir smiled as he grabbed Ciara's two packs and handed them to his servant waiting obediently in the hall.  
  
"I'm ready. How far away is Rohan?" Ciara asked as she stood and headed towards the door.  
  
"A nine day ride." Boromir laughed at Ciara's face as he said this.  
  
"Keep her safe and, have a good time, lady Ciara!" Fingulas smiled and stepped aside so Ciara could pass through the door unhindered.  
  
"Thank you." Ciara nodded and followed Boromir down the hall towards the stables.  
  
"Ungrateful, vain elf." Airana muttered and shook her head as Ciara sauntered down the hall in between Boromir and Faramir's strong figures.  
  
"Airana, do not say such things about your mistress!" Fingulas gasped in shock.  
  
"You dote over her every move, it's sickening!" Airana sneered and left the room to go find her other serving friends in their usual place in the kitchen. Fingulas followed behind still unbelieving that Airana could say such things about such a beautiful creature. Ciara's beauty and grace was holding her enraptured.  
  
~  
  
Airana sat down at the small table in the kitchen for the servants, the usual group of servants were sitting at the table eating left over food from the dinner the night before and talking.  
  
"Airana, nice of you to join us finally." Morwen, one of the servants greeted Airana.  
  
"If I didn't have to be at the every beckoning of that elf I would be in here more often!" Airana sat down with the other three ladies and Fingulas entered the room.  
  
"Hello, ladies." Fingulas smiled and sat next to Irathen.  
  
"Here's the one that has been hanging on that girl." Airana glared at Fingulas, accusing her of daring to like someone she did not.  
  
"What? I think Ciara is very nice." Fingulas defended herself.  
  
"I wish I could look like that. Then I would be stuck serving other people. They would serve me." Calelmin sighed and took a bite out of an apple.  
  
"She's going away to Rohan and I bet you anything that she gets pregnant while she is there." Airana narrowed her eyes at this thought.  
  
"Someone sure doesn't like her." Morwen laughed.  
  
"You should try serving her!" Airana exclaimed.  
  
"It is not bad at all, she's very pleasant to be around. Better than- well you know who." Fingulas couldn't bring herself to say anything bad about Lord Denethor but she thought a few things that were anything but pleasant.  
  
"Yea, anyone is better that him." Irathen nodded in agreement.  
  
"You know, her coming here was a horrible fate for poor Boromir." Airana drew the subject back to her dislike for the lady Ciara.  
  
"Boromir adores her." Fingulas shook her head, Airana was a stubborn woman.  
  
"Oh yea, and you know exactly what it is going to lead to." Airana waited for the women to fully put their attention on her, "You can tell he adores her very much and you know that sooner of later they are going to- well you know. Then when it's all over he won't want her around anymore and she'll just move onto the guards and become a regular whore. You all know that is what is going to happen." Airana nodded, sure of herself.  
  
"Airana, I usually agree with you but that is a little far-fetched." Calelmin looked at Airana with a confused look.  
  
"Well, you wait and see and when I'm right, you'll all know." Airana crossed her arms and sat back, "If she breaks Boromir's heart, I'll kill her myself."  
  
"Oh my, Airana, he'd be more likely to break her heart. You know how men are." Irathen laughed to herself and went back to eating her food.  
  
~  
  
The group of guards, and Faramir and Ciara had been traveling for a day now and were well into the night when the captain finally decided to stop for the night.  
  
"I'm so tired." Ciara sighed as she slowly dismounted from her tall horse.  
  
"I'll help you make your bed." Faramir offered.  
  
"Thanks." Ciara smiled and began to set her bedding on the ground.  
  
The guards quickly lit a fire and had meat cooking over it and were all sitting around the fire talking happily among themselves. Ciara lay on her bed staring at the stars above her, trying not to fall asleep before the food was ready.  
  
"Ciara." Boromir stood over Ciara holding a plate of food for her, "Ciara." Boromir knelt down to she Ciara's eyes closed and her breathing slow and steady, asleep. Boromir smiled to himself and gently covered Ciara with his own blankets.  
  
~ 


	8. Mother's Intuition

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
Autheress Note: I looked in the appendixes and I swear it does not say when Theodred was born so I am taking some liberty and I want him to be the same age as Boromir (though I have a feeling he is probably younger). Also at this time Eomer is only four and Eowyn was just born.  
  
Flamingo Feathers: Thank you for that incredibly in depth criticism of my story, that is the first review that I've gotten that has pointed out mistakes, mishaps, etc. instead of saying "your story sucks" wanted to point out something, Eowyn was born 2995, that's when the story takes place. Also I know her name is not very elven but there are explanations on the way, her mysterious past isn't so much a mystery as much as what Ciara isn't telling. Ciara is not a Mary-sue though she does appear to be one so far; I wanted her to appear perfect at first. There are some major character development and changes on the way. Addressing the issue about her never seeing a man before; she has seen a man before, she says that later on when she tells about her past after she originally said she hadn't. Yes, Boromir and Faramir are out of character. I am not Tolkien ergo they cannot possibly be in true character. This is a fanfic and I write Faramir and Boromir as I see them and as how I want them, that is something that can't be helped. One of the views of writing a fanfic is being able to go beyond the limits and boundaries that are set. Fanfics are a whole other world besides what was originally written. Again, thanks.  
  
EFDGamgee: Yes, vain elf. She is supposed to be and there is so much more on the way. Don't hate her yet though! Speeling grammers, who needs them!? Just kidding, I know I have mistakes and I try to catch them but I am the worst at proofreading my own works!  
  
Toby Keith Fanatic: Hi! Someone's heart is going to break but I'm not going to say who!! Enjoy!  
  
Butterflyer: Change is good and so is Boromir!!  
  
Lady Nessa Fefalas: How is the describing coming along? Enough, too much? Hope you're enjoying!  
  
Cookie-crazy: I love Boromir and there is never enough of him in the fanfic world so here is plenty of him and some Faramir on the side! Not to exclude poor Faramir but maybe I'll give him some glory in his own story!  
  
Nienna: I know Ciara is a dull elf but hopefully she'll liven up enough for you! Sorry I had to make her an elf but that's just the way it plays out in my head! Though there will be mortal women later that have their moments of glory! Faramir is a part of the story but unfortunately it's mostly Boromir. Faramir gets his own fun later but maybe I'll give him a story all to himself sometime.  
  
~  
  
The group journeyed on quite uneventfully to Edoras. Ciara had never ridden so long in her life and was more than happy to see her horse put in the stable and feel the solid ground beneath her own feet.  
  
"Welcome to Edoras." Boromir smiled as the guards climbed the steps to the main hall.  
  
The guards of Edoras stood at the door and smiled and allowed them in as soon as the group had assembled in front of the door.  
  
"My lords Boromir and Faramir, sons of Denethor, Steward of Gondor." A guard announced the presence of the brothers. Boromir whispered quickly into the guards ear and the man added, "Also here her ladyship Ciara, daughter of Denethor, Steward of Gondor."  
  
"Welcome to my hall." Came the regal reply of a fair-haired man sitting in his throne, next to him sat a man very similar in looks.  
  
"King Theoden and lord Eomund." The man said before closing the doors behind him.  
  
"You are all welcomed here, sons and daughter of Denethor. Tell me though, how had Denethor so quickly acquired another daughter?" The king smiled warmly at Ciara.  
  
"She is a foster daughter, my lord." Boromir smiled back at the benevolent king.  
  
"I see, well, welcome then Ciara." Theoden stood and his brother followed suit.  
  
"My brother here has just had his second child, a daughter as well." Theoden smiled at his brother.  
  
"Congratulations, my lord." Boromir and Faramir replied at the same time.  
  
"Thank you." Eomund returned the smile.  
  
"Well, the servants will show you all to your rooms and we will meet again tonight at dinner. You'll have to excuse me for the brevity of our first meeting but duty calls." Theoden bowed and left the guards to follow servants to their rooms.  
  
Since there were twenty guards they were out five to a room and Faramir and Ciara had a separate room for the two of them.  
  
"King Theoden seems very nice." Ciara commented as she hung her dresses in the wardrobe.  
  
"Oh, he is a very nice man. And a good king too." Faramir nodded.  
  
~  
  
Boromir came to gather Faramir and Ciara for the feast that night. Ciara had donned a beautiful burgundy dress and had only half of her hair back, letting the rest cascade in a river of dark waves down her back.  
  
"You look very lovely, Ciara." Boromir smiled.  
  
"Faramir helped me dress, I still haven't quite gotten the hang of this strange dresses yet." Ciara confessed and Boromir laughed.  
  
"Come, we don't want to be late."  
  
The hall was already full of Rohirrim and other special guests for the evening.  
  
"Welcome my lords." Theoden's wife stood next to her son, Theodred, who was the same age of Boromir.  
  
"Thank you my lady." Boromir and Faramir both bowed before her.  
  
"This is my son, Theodred." Theoden's wife introduced her son.  
  
"Welcome."  
  
"Hello." Boromir and Faramir nodded again, "This is our sister, Ciara." Boromir introduced Ciara whom stood waiting patiently for all the formal greetings to end.  
  
"Welcome dear." Theodred's mother smiled at Ciara secretly looking over her beauty and possibility of becoming a candidate for Theodred's wife when she noticed Ciara's ears, "Why, you are an elf!"  
  
"Yes, Lord Denethor has taken me in for his own." Ciara explained.  
  
"That's wonderful!" Theoden's wife smiled and mentally put her at the top of her list for candidates for Theodred's marriage.  
  
"Come, let us end this formal talk and go eat, drink, and be merry." Theodred stepped from behind his mother and Ciara could see he had inherited his father's strong features but his hair was not as light as most of the other men around.  
  
"Yes, we re starving." Boromir nodded and the four disappeared, Theodred's mother smiling as she saw Theodred discreetly look over Ciara's beauty as she walked in front of him, she was a good possibility. She quickly turned to find her husband and tell him her idea.  
  
"You just became a guard of your city?" Theodred asked Boromir as they headed towards a table with many of Boromir's fellow guards and Theodred's fellow Rohirrim.  
  
"Yes, just before I came I became a level seven guard." Boromir nodded.  
  
"That's impressive." Theodred laughed, "But not as impressive as Ciara here, you are most beautiful."  
  
"Thank you, my lord." Ciara let out a genuine smile at the compliment and a little blush came to her cheeks.  
  
"How did you become a foster daughter of Denethor?" Theodred asked as the four sat down at a table.  
  
"We saw her in the woods while we were hunting then, she fainted and we took her back to the infirmary, found out she had no family and took her in." Boromir gave the story in brief.  
  
"I wish I could find a beautiful maiden like you in the woods to take home. That had to be a dream!" Theodred smiled at Ciara and took a drink of his ale.  
  
"She is." Boromir smiled at Ciara and she felt prettier than she had ever felt before.  
  
"Theodred!!" A child's voice broke out through the crowd and a little, blond-haired boy came bounding up towards Theodred.  
  
"Oh, come here! Did your mother allow you in here?" Theodred set the boy on his knee.  
  
"No, I wanted to see your new friends with the funny hair." The boy looked at Faramir and Boromir.  
  
"Funny hair? Why's that?" Faramir asked the little boy.  
  
"It is like the colour of the night sky!" The boy laughed and pointed towards Ciara's dark hair.  
  
"This is my cousin Eomer, son of Eomund, and he is a little handful!" Theodred said of the little boy who was now making faces at one of the Rohirrim who laughed and played along with the boy.  
  
"He is adorable." Ciara smiled.  
  
"Oh yea, really adorable. Especially when he decides he wants to cause trouble." Theodred laughed and the boy turned to Boromir.  
  
"What is your name?" The boy demanded.  
  
"I am Boromir, who are you?"  
  
"I am Eomer. Why do you have that funny thing around your neck?"  
  
"This is the horn of Gondor. It is used when there is trouble." Boromir laughed at the boy's inquisitive questions.  
  
"Oh, we have a bunch of men and horses when there is trouble." Eomer didn't quite understand what the horn was for. Everyone laughed at little Eomer. "I have a new sister, her name is Eowyn and I am her big brother so I have to look out for her." Eomer informed everyone.  
  
"He is too cute." Ciara smiled at Theodred.  
  
"Yea. Eomer why don't you go bother King Theoden while we talk okay?" Theodred suggested to the little boy.  
  
"Okay!" Eomer smiled and jumped of Theodred's lap and ran towards the King.  
  
"I love him like a brother but he can be a handful." Theodred smiled and turned his attentions to his food.  
  
Later that evening after the feasting was over and everyone was now drinking and talking with other guests Eomer found his way back to Theodred and the others.  
  
"I'm back!" Eomer exclaimed as he grabbed onto Theodred's tunic.  
  
"There you are little man!" Theodred patted him on the head and stepped aside so he could be a part of the group.  
  
"Hello, Eomer." Faramir smiled at the boy.  
  
"Hi!" Eomer smiled, he was bursting with enthusiasm.  
  
"Isn't it past your bedtime?" Theodred asked the boy, "I bet your mother is looking for you."  
  
"No, she is with my sister. Nanny said I could stay up later tonight because I was a good boy today." Eomer informed Theodred.  
  
"Oh, well in that case." Theodred smiled.  
  
"I like your armour mister." Eomer said looking up at Boromir.  
  
"Thank you, Eomer." Boromir smiled down at the little boy.  
  
"I want armour like his!" Eomer exclaimed to Theodred.  
  
Theodred looked at Boromir and shook his head.  
  
"I'm really tired Boromir, I think I am going back to my room." Ciara whispered in Boromir's ear.  
  
"I'll walk back with you." Boromir whispered back, "Theodred, it's been a great evening but I think it is time we retired for the evening. I hope to see you again soon." Boromir nodded politely to Theodred.  
  
"You're right it is getting late. Good evening, lady Ciara, it's been wonderful meeting you. I will see you all hopefully tomorrow." Theodred bowed to Ciara and smiled at Faramir and Boromir before taking Eomer's hand and leading him towards his room.  
  
"Theodred is very nice, don't you think?" Ciara commented as Boromir and Faramir walked back with her to their rooms.  
  
"I like him." Boromir nodded.  
  
"Me too." Faramir agreed.  
  
"And that little Eomer, he is such a darling boy." Ciara laughed thinking of him.  
  
"He's full of energy, that one." Boromir raised his eyebrows, glad he didn't have to watch out for a young brother or cousin that age.  
  
"I think he likes you, Boromir." Faramir laughed. Boromir shook his head and opened the door for Ciara to her room.  
  
"Good night, Ciara." Boromir smiled, "I will be with the other guards tomorrow morning but I will come and get your for lunch, okay?"  
  
"I'll see you then." Ciara nodded and followed Faramir into the room they were sharing.  
  
~ 


	9. Life's Little Questions

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
To all reviewers just want to point out a little fun fact dealing with names. Think Ciara is a crappy elven name? I could have named her Figwit. That's right, there is a character card for a Lord of the Rings character named Figwit, or should I say Figgy? And that's all I have to say about that.  
  
~  
  
Ciara sunk under the warmth of the bath a servant had prepared for her. It was the largest tub she had ever been in and the water was so comfortably warming. Foam covered the surface of the tub and was giving off some strange, but very pleasant scent. Ciara felt she might never leave the bath. She rested her head back against the soft towels set on the edge for her head and stretched her body out the length of the tub, letting the foam envelope her body in their softness.  
  
~  
  
"What do you think, brother?" Eomund sat across from his brother in their large study, discussing the events of the evening.  
  
"I don't think this is going to help any of the relations between us. They will be gone in a few days time and everything will be as it was before. Gondor and Rohan will never have the alliance they once had." Theoden shook his head and placed his goblet back down on the table at his side.  
  
"What do you think Denethor was trying to prove with his new foster daughter? I don't understand it."  
  
"Eomund, you read to far into things. I don't think this has any political move in it. I think, as the older one said, the two brothers found her and took her in." Theoden shrugged.  
  
There was a light knock at the door, stopping any further comment.  
  
"Come in, come in." Theoden called with a sigh, it seemed to be harder and harder to talk nowadays without being interrupted.  
  
"It is just me, dearest." Theoden's wife came into the room with a smile that Theoden only knew as trouble for him.  
  
"What is the news?" Theoden asked her.  
  
"I think I have a very good possibility for your son's future wife." Theoden's wife smiled triumphantly.  
  
"Wife? Thinking of his marriage again?" Theoden had begun to here of Theodred's marriage more and more often since his son had turned seventeen.  
  
"I was thinking of Denethor's daughter. Not only is she elven but, it would certainly improve relations between our two lands and possibly better alliances with the elves. Don't you think?" Theoden's wife came and stood before him proud of her idea.  
  
Theoden thought for a moment, it would most likely improve relations between the lands but, how well? After all, she was only a foster daughter.  
  
"Wait, did you say she is an elf?" Theoden had just processed the information.  
  
"Yes, I noticed her ears and she told me so herself." Theoden's wife nodded waiting for praise for her idea.  
  
"What would Denethor be doing with an elf for a foster daughter." Theoden couldn't comprehend it.  
  
"Dear! What do you think of the marriage idea! Tell me!" Theoden's wife was sick of waiting.  
  
"I don't feel good about the idea. No, we'd better not say anything about it. I don't want to hear anymore of it until I think about it." Theoden decided, something just didn't seem right about it.  
  
~  
  
Ciara stood before the great hall watching the men and their horses all training and going about the days business. The wind was blowing around her in a wicked fashion and she had to hold her hair in her hand to keep it from whipping her face. This is where Faramir found her standing.  
  
"Come inside, it is a windy day out." Faramir took Ciara's arm and led her back into the calmness of the great hall.  
  
"This is a beautiful city." Ciara commented as the two sat across from each other a great wooden table.  
  
"It is." Faramir nodded though he secretly wished he were back in his own city practicing for the guards.  
  
"Good morning, Ciara and Faramir." Theodred walked into the hall and pulled off his helmet.  
  
"Good morning." Ciara smiled, she could not deny she was glad to see him.  
  
"Is Boromir with his men?" Theodred asked noticing the elder brother's absence.  
  
"Yes." Faramir nodded.  
  
"Oh, I see. You are looking lovely as usual, Ciara. I can tell you have been outside in the wind." Theodred smiled as Ciara's mused hair and slightly reddened cheeks from the wind.  
  
"Yes, the wind is strong today." Ciara's hand went automatically to try and tame her hair.  
  
"It is always windy up here." Theodred laughed, "Would you care to go for a ride around the city with me?" Theodred asked.  
  
"I would love to." Ciara agreed.  
  
"Do you mind?" Theodred turned to Faramir.  
  
"Not at all, go ahead." Faramir shook his head and excused himself to go back to his rooms.  
  
Ciara followed Theodred to the stables where he led out a beautiful white horse for Ciara.  
  
~  
  
Boromir returned to the hall from being with his men to find Faramir eating with a few of the Rohirrim but no sign of Ciara.  
  
"Where is Ciara?" Boromir asked as he sat down next to Faramir.  
  
"She is out riding with Theodred, he took her to see the city." Faramir explained.  
  
"Oh." Boromir nodded and looked a little downcast.  
  
"Get some food, it's good and I am sure you are hungry." Faramir suggested to his brother.  
  
Boromir waved a servant to bring him some food and sat eating in silence. Theoden's wife entered the room and headed right towards the brothers.  
  
"Good afternoon my lords, have you seen my son?" Theoden's wife smiled down at the two.  
  
"He took Ciara on a ride through the city." Faramir answered.  
  
"Oh." Theoden's wife smiled happily to herself and left the two to eat.  
  
"She looked happy about that." Faramir commented after she had gone.  
  
"Hmm." Boromir grunted his response.  
  
"Are you jealous?" Faramir asked his brother with a knowing look.  
  
"What?" Boromir glared up at his brother, "No."  
  
"Please, Boromir, I know you better than anyone and I think you are. You like Ciara." Faramir leaned closer so that others couldn't hear; "All I am going to say is be careful. She is part of the family now and it wouldn't look good if after you tire of her to throw her out. We can't do that we have to think of our image as the stewards." Faramir pointed out.  
  
"You don't need to teach me about image. I know." Boromir sighed, "I didn't want this to happen but I can't help it."  
  
"You can't help what you feel but just be careful, that is all I am going to say about this." Faramir looked down and continued eating as though nothing had happened.  
  
~  
  
"So, what do you think of the city, milady?" Theodred and Ciara were out of the city and were in the fields that surrounded Edoras with their growth.  
  
"It is beautiful." Ciara smiled at Theodred.  
  
"So, tell me how you came to Gondor?" Theodred reined his horse closer to Ciara's.  
  
"It's a long story that I really don't like going into." Ciara looked away, she hated the subject of her past and that is what most people always wanted to talk about with her.  
  
"I am sorry to ask then." Theodred fell silent, unsure of what to say.  
  
"Oh, I meant no harm in saying that but it just seems that all anyone ever wants to talk to me about." Ciara explained her brief lapse in politeness.  
  
"Well, you are a strange situation. An elf with no home, no family, just strays into Gondor and agrees to become the foster daughter of the Steward, you must admit that is strange. How long were you there before you became his daughter?" Theodred looked uneasily at Ciara after asking that question.  
  
Ciara didn't say anything but the realisation just hit her that this whole situation was incredibly ridiculous. She had joined some family she knew nothing about, agreed to be some man's daughter who hard hardly so much as said but possibly five words to her since her coming to Gondor.  
  
"I don't know." Ciara blurted out, she didn't know. She stared up at the sky, maybe the answer would fall out of the sky and reveal itself, she didn't know.  
  
"You don't know what?" Theodred was confused at this answer.  
  
"I don't know. I just, I don't know." Ciara shrugged, what was the point of her life? She had no family, no land to call her own, no home to call her own. She was lost alone, drifting in a sea where everyone else had their place and a point of living. She was left alone in a mass of people, her own life was of quiet desolation.  
  
"Are you feeling well, milady?" Theodred asked again.  
  
"No, actually, I am not. I think I would like to return now." Ciara gave her horse a nudge with her heels and set it trotting back towards the castle. Theodred frowned at himself, upset he caused her to want to return and the look of complete loss in her face.  
  
~  
  
"Above all, listen and obey. With listening immediately should come obeying. They should be one in the same. Always remember this. Always yes, never no." The voice droned on, it seemed never ending. Slowly though, it began to fade, to fade into a region lost to the listener. A new noise was now audible, one that was more inviting, more calming.  
  
"Attention!" The voice suddenly was audible again, "Moriana, you are not paying attention!"  
  
Moriana shook her head to clear her mind of the noises and tried to focus on the voice in front of her, "I couldn't help it." Moriana sighed.  
  
"If you want to work in this household you will learn to pay attention! If you can't listen to me than how do you expect to listen to your lords?!" Irathen scolded.  
  
"Maybe I don't really want to work in this household and I am here because I was sent here by my loving father." Moriana's words dripping with resentment.  
  
"You are impossible." Irathen closed her eyes and massaged her temples, this girl was by far the most difficult to train, her stubborn attitude was going to be very hard to break.  
  
"You have had enough for one day, go to the kitchen for dinner." Irathen commanded and slowly followed the young girl.  
  
"Having fun teaching her?" Airana emerged from a corridor.  
  
"She is a hard-head. Very stubborn." Irathen shook her head.  
  
"Let Fingulas look after her, then she and the girl can care for Ciara by themselves and I can go back to caring for Boromir." Airana suggested.  
  
"No. I want to but she was entrusted to me. I can't just push her off on Fingulas. Besides, Fingulas would not teach her well, she is a push over you know that." Irathen corrected the idea.  
  
"Fine, don't listen to my suggestions. I was just trying to help." Airana said in a huff and left Irathen walking into the kitchen by herself.  
  
~  
  
Ciara left her borrowed horse in the hands of an able stable boy and nearly ran back to her room, she needed some time to think. Theodred's questions had sparked something in her. She sat on her large bed contemplating what she had done. By dinnertime she was tired of thinking of her life and why there was no meaning in it but, ready to accept that she was now the daughter of a steward.  
  
~ 


	10. Empty Threats

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
"Ciara." Boromir smiled as Ciara sat next to him at the large table.  
  
"Hello." Ciara gave him a smile and forced smile.  
  
"You look tired." Faramir commented.  
  
"I am." Ciara nodded. Boromir didn't say anything but went unusually quiet.  
  
"Did you have a nice time today?" Faramir noticed the look on Boromir's face and recognized it well.  
  
"Theodred and I rode all around the city and some of the fields, he asked me something that king of made me think a lot about my life, that's why I look so tired." Ciara confessed. Boromir's face relaxed a bit and he asked her, "What did he ask you?"  
  
"He asked me about my life and why I agreed to become part of your family so quickly." Ciara shook her head, "I couldn't answer him then but I thought a lot about it and I wouldn't change a thing." Ciara assured the brothers.  
  
"That's good to know." Boromir smiled happy at this response  
  
~  
  
Moriana sat in the bedroom she had stumbled upon, trying to find her own room. She hadn't learned her way around the house yet and gave up looking for the servants' room and settled for this much more glamorous one instead. She let herself fall back onto the soft bed and started to daydream about her life as a servant. Maybe one of the steward's sons would fall in love with her and she could become a lady to be served instead of having of having to serve, wouldn't that be nice?  
  
"Oh!" A voice startled her out of her daydream, "Who are you!" the voice demanded.  
  
Great, Moriana thought, My first day and I'm caught in someone's bedroom, alone.  
  
"Sorry, I lost my way and just kind of stumbled in here." Moriana answered truthfully as she sat up and saw that it was not the owner of the room but instead another servant.  
  
"Who are you?" The woman came into the room. She was carrying dresses for the room's real occupant most likely.  
  
"Moriana. I'm new." Moriana stood and patted the wrinkles she had made in the bed.  
  
"Well, I'm Fingulas. I'm the servant of Ciara; this is her room you're in. She's the daughter of the steward." Fingulas walked to the wardrobe and opened it to put the dresses into.  
  
Of course the room I pick is the daughter of the steward! Wait, I never knew the steward had a daughter! Moriana fell silent.  
  
"She is his foster daughter." Fingulas figured what Moriana was thinking.  
  
"Oh. Well, sorry about this. " Moriana stood there, unsure of what to say or do.  
  
"Do you want to help me hang these dresses up?" Fingulas asked.  
  
"I guess." Moriana didn't have anything better to do and felt kind of bad for being caught in this room.  
  
"So, you've never meet Ciara then?" Fingulas asked as she handed Moriana a beautiful dress to hang up.  
  
"No. Today is my first day here." Moriana confessed.  
  
"Oh! Who is your mentor?"  
  
"Irathen, I don't think she like me very much." Moriana felt the soft fabric around the hems of the dress and suddenly felt a longing for a dress like this for herself.  
  
"Irathen was my mentor too. She can be very harsh sometimes but now we get along fine." Fingulas laughed, she knew very well how Irathen could act sometimes.  
  
"I guess." Moriana shrugged, she didn't want to stay long enough for Irathen to like her.  
  
"I gather that it wasn't your choice to come here?" Fingulas smiled warmly at Moriana.  
  
"Not at all." Moriana said with a shake of her head.  
  
"I was the same way when I first got here. I was forced to come by my father and I hated every minute of it. After time though you realize it's not so bad." Fingulas tried to assure Moriana but it didn't work. A new fear overtook Moriana, she was doomed to accept her life in time.  
  
Moriana didn't say anything but grasped the dress in her arms closer to her body, feeling the softness of it against her arms and chest.  
  
"Careful with the dress, don't wrinkle it." Fingulas turned towards Moriana and held out her hand to take the dress.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." Moriana reluctantly let the dress leave her arms, she watched as the blue dress' shimmer faded as it was hung in the wardrobe, "That is a beautiful dress."  
  
"It is but I doubt Ciara will like it." Fingulas gave a little sigh and shut the doors of the wardrobe.  
  
"Why not?!" Moriana could hardly believe that anyone wouldn't like that dress.  
  
"She never wears any of her blue dresses, I don't think she likes the colour." Fingulas explained.  
  
"Oh. You like Ciara a lot don't you?" Moriana asked.  
  
"I like her though, not many of the other servants do."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"I think they are jealous of her. She is very beautiful, an elf, and she has the favour of Lord Boromir." Fingulas whispered the last part.  
  
"Favour of Lord Boromir?"  
  
"Yes, I believe that many of the servants are in love with him and are jealous that he has taken a liking to Ciara."  
  
"She is a lucky girl." Moriana agreed.  
  
"Come, let us go to dinner now."  
  
~  
  
"We are going to leave tomorrow." Boromir informed Faramir and Ciara later that night as he entered their shared room.  
  
"Why so soon?" Ciara was perched on her bed reading.  
  
"I think we have stayed long enough, Faramir needs to join the guards and I want to continue with training." Boromir explained firmly, Faramir and Ciara knew better than to argue against it.  
  
"We will be ready to leave." Faramir nodded at his brother and waited until he left the room to explain to Ciara why they were leaving so soon, "He wants to leave because Theodred's mother wants Theodred to fall in love with you and marry you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's the truth, a soldier informed Boromir today about this plan." Faramir shook his head.  
  
"That is good enough cause to leave." Ciara laughed to herself and lie back onto her bed thinking about what it would be like to marry Theodred, not something she would have thought of before.  
  
~  
  
The next morning the guards of Gondor were mounting their horses and making preparations to leave when Theodred's mother came flying out of the palace and towards Boromir, "Why are you leaving so soon?!" She demanded as politely as she could muster.  
  
"I am sorry, milady, but we must return home. It was wonderful to meet you and your son, my best regards to everyone in Rohan." Boromir nodded down at the woman who stood desperately trying to find some reason for them to stay, "Ciara could stay until you visit again? Can't she?"  
  
"I am sorry Ciara must return home with us." Boromir refused this request, she was the reason he wanted to go.  
  
"Please come visit us again soon Lord Boromir!" Theodred's mother pleaded and slowly back away as Faramir pushed by to help Ciara mount.  
  
"Lady Ciara, farewell! Come and visit again it would make Theodred so very pleased!" Theodred's mother called out as the guards urged their horses forward. Ciara waved her farewell and took once last glance for the young Theodred before her horse took off, following the other horses.  
  
~ 


	11. The Awakening

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
Hullo reviewers! Thank you all for reviewing and here is some feedback to the questions/comments you made!  
  
TKF: Thanks for sticking with me! You're my favourite reviewer! Yes, she's not the nicest of mommy's but she cares in a strange and very odd way! I promise to get those updates as often as I can!  
  
Butterflyer: Okay, title of the chapter refers to Theodred being a "threat" to Boromir because I was kind of hoping to insinuate that Boromir was feeling a bit jealous also Theodred's mother wanted him to marry Ciara. Not real threats but more metaphoric ones! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
EFDGamgee: First thing's first! Title {see above reviewer response for full explanation please!}. Secondly; Theodred's mother's name. I feel silly now, I couldn't find her name in the appendix and that is what I am going by and I guess I must have missed it other places but at least I didn't make up a name! Sorry about that big booboo! Thirdly; obviously if I didn't catch her name than I didn't see the part about her dying during childbirth. Silly me for not researching that before I starting writing. I would go back and change the story but then it would change a big part of the plot line and change the story from what I was going on (hope you don't mind the mistake too much! Very sorry about that!) And fourthly; I guess I didn't make it clear that Moriana was back in Gondor in Ciara's room there. She did not go to Rohan with Boromir, Faramir, Ciara, and the guards. My bad at writing that! Moriana is from Gondor, just a regular girl, nothing special. You didn't bug me in the least, I really truly (and I mean it when I say this) appreciate you pointing out these BIG flaws in my story and especially for doing it so courteously! Hope you can overlook the mishaps and enjoy the rest though! By the way, where did you find this information on Theodred and his mother and such? I would like to know! Thanks a bunch!  
  
~  
  
The group rode hard into the night and days following until they returned back to Gondor where things were every bit as usual. Denethor welcomed back his favourite son with a royal welcome and barely acknowledged Faramir or Ciara.  
  
"Faramir, are you going to join the guards today my brother?" Boromir asked the morning after they had just returned from their journey.  
  
"Yes, I plan to today." Faramir nodded and headed out the door towards the guard training grounds.  
  
Ciara sat in her room, both Boromir and Faramir were gone training with the guards and she was now left with nothing to do.  
  
Fingulas and Moriana came in and found Ciara still sitting near her window watching the guards train an hour later.  
  
"Oh, good afternoon, lady Ciara, I didn't expect you to be in here." Fingulas was surprised to see Ciara sitting in her room still and nearly dropped the freshly cleaned clothing she was carrying.  
  
"I have nothing else to do. Boromir and Faramir are training and I don't know what else to do." Ciara sighed and turned to see two servants instead of the usual lone Fingulas, "You're new." Ciara looked at Moriana.  
  
"Yes, I was just brought here yesterday. My name is Moriana, milady." Moriana did a clumsy bow and stood nervously in front of Ciara. Moriana had never seen an elf before and was trying to discreetly pick out the real differences for herself, as well as take in the lady's beauty.  
  
"Does this mean Airana is gone?" Ciara stood and stretched from sitting s long.  
  
"Yes, Moriana took her place. Is that okay?" Fingulas placed Ciara's clothing on the bed and began to put them back in the wardrobe, "Did you notice all you new clothing?"  
  
"Yes, I did. I like them all very much." Ciara walked over to the wardrobe and opened the doors to see the dresses and robes for the warmer weather that was promising soon to come.  
  
Moriana stepped aside so Ciara could pass and felt suddenly very out of place standing in this beautiful woman's bedroom holding her ornately designed dresses for her.  
  
"You can put the dresses down, they must be heavy." Ciara smiled at Moriana.  
  
"Oh." Moriana smiled awkwardly and placed them on the bed as well, "I've only been here about a week now. I still haven't quite gotten used to everything yet." Moriana confessed.  
  
"Can you do hair well?" Ciara asked as she sat in front of her dressing table.  
  
"That I can do very well, actually!" Moriana smiled, she had always been proud of the way she did hair, though she could never do anything like what she did to other peoples hair to her own.  
  
"Well then, come here and fix my hair." Ciara waved her over and Moriana happily complied.  
  
Airana was carrying a load of Boromir's clothes back to his room when she heard the sound of laughter flowing from Ciara's room. She immediately stopped by the door and tried to listen to what was going on in the room.  
  
"That is too funny!" Airana heard Ciara's voice ring out from amid the laughter. Airana frowned to herself and wondered secretly if Boromir was in the room. She debated whether she should knock and make up some excuse to go in and see or if she should move on to give Boromir his clothes.  
  
"She what!?" Someone else called out from in the room, a voice Airana didn't recognise. She let her curiosity get the best of her and knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in!" Ciara's voice called from inside excitedly. Airana opened the door and saw three smiling faces at once fall into disappointed frowns. Airana stood unsure of what to say but upset that Fingulas and Moriana were in there laughing and having fun with that elf.  
  
"Is lord Boromir in his room?" Airana asked quickly.  
  
"No, he is practising and he won't be back until later. Why do you ask?" Ciara asked shortly and gave Airana a quick glare. Ciara wasn't afraid to show how much she cared, or didn't care for the maid anymore since she was no longer in charge of her clothes or taking care of her.  
  
"I wanted to make sure I didn't wake him." Airana lied and closed the door before she let Ciara see the look she wanted to return.  
  
"I don't care for her." Ciara sniffed after she left.  
  
"I don't like her either." Moriana agreed.  
  
"She is just upset because we like you and so do Faramir and Boromir. There are rumours that she fancies Boromir." Fingulas whispered to the other two.  
  
"She fancies Boromir?" Ciara turned and gave Fingulas a surprised look.  
  
"Everyone thinks so. It all started after she stopped being his maid, she became unpleasant to be around and always did anything to be by him or take him things and of course the rumours started among the servants. I believe them." Fingulas explained to the faces staring in shock at her.  
  
"I would have never have known!" Moriana exclaimed.  
  
"That is why she doesn't like me!" Ciara came to the realisation.  
  
"That must be why. She has been working here her whole life and he never so much as paid even the slightest bit of attention to her, why would he? She is a servant and he is the son of the steward! He could have any women he wanted! Why would he ever pick a servant?" Fingulas shared with Ciara and Moriana.  
  
"Well, for the record, I don't like her either because she acts like a mother! She hates whenever Boromir-" Ciara was cut off when the man in question opened Ciara's door.  
  
"I didn't knock because I heard you all talking, sorry." Boromir apologised.  
  
"Hello, Boromir." Ciara immediately rose and headed to give Boromir a hug, "Did you have a good day?"  
  
"It was wonderful. Training is going so well. Have you seen Faramir?" Boromir held Ciara in a tight hug and finally released her to ask his question.  
  
"No, I haven't. He must still be training." Ciara shook her head.  
  
"I wonder what level he made?" Boromir asked to no one in particular, "I'm going to bathe and I will escort you to dinner tonight, is that all right?" Boromir asked Ciara with a sweet smile.  
  
"Of course it is my lord." Ciara smiled back and watched him disappear down the hall towards his room.  
  
"I really think he like you as more than just a friend or foster-sister." Moriana observed as Ciara shut the door and turned around with a goofy little smile on her face.  
  
"Really, you think so?" Ciara's smile got bigger than it already was.  
  
"I think so too." Fingulas nodded.  
  
~  
  
Boromir entered his room, the shades were drawn, the fire wasn't lit, and none of the candles around the room were lit either. This was odd. Usually the fire was lit and the candles as well whenever he came to his room to prepare for dinner. His usual servants must have not been in the room. A noise in the bathing room broke him out of his questioning. Boromir headed towards the bathing room and was about to open the door when it flew open and nearly hit him in the face, it was Airana.  
  
"Oh! Lord Boromir, you are back! I am so sorry I didn't get to light the candles or the fire! I will get right to it." Airana ran to the fire and immediately started to try and light one but she was having difficulty. She gave up after a few moments and left the room to try and find an already light torch to help her. Boromir groaned in disappointment, he had been happy when he found out she would no longer be his servant and now she was back.  
  
Airana was back in just a few minutes to light the fire and the candles.  
  
"Is that better for you lord Boromir?" Airana turned and faced Boromir.  
  
"Yes." Boromir nodded and headed towards his bathing room.  
  
"Do you need any help?"  
  
"No, I will be fine." Boromir quickly shut his door behind him and let the warm water in his bath take him to a place only he and Ciara could go.  
  
Boromir faced the door as he stripped off his sweat-ridden clothes and felt strangely anxious that Airana might open the door at any moment. Boromir had never taken a quicker shower than that. Boromir stepped out of the still warm water to find that he had forgotten to bring clean clothes in with him.  
  
Boromir cursed under his breath and debated putting on his dirty clothes but decided he would rather not put Ciara through that. He opened the door only a crack and looked for Airana. The fire was going in the fireplace and candles were lit so he could see there seemed to be no sign of Airana. Boromir quietly crept to his wardrobe, his towel wrapped around his waist and dug out some clean clothes. He made it safely back into the bathing room without incident.  
  
~  
  
"I don't know if I want anything to happen between Boromir and I though." Ciara sighed as Moriana finished fixing her hair and stood back to admire.  
  
"Why not?!" Moriana asked incredulously.  
  
"Well, I'm his foster-sister now. And if something happens I'm still here and that would be very awkward." Ciara pointed out.  
  
"I don't think that should stop you." Fingulas shook her head.  
  
"All right, all right." Ciara laughed and stood to see the finished product of all her primping and preening.  
  
"Gorgeous." Fingulas smiled and Moriana nodded in agreement.  
  
A knock on the door told Ciara and the others that Boromir was ready.  
  
"Come on in!" Ciara turned and winked at Fingulas and Moriana. The door opened but instead of Boromir it was Airana, again.  
  
"I need to speak to both of you." Airana said in a venomous tone.  
  
Fingulas let out an annoyed sigh and replied, "We are occupied at the moment. You will have to wait until we are finished helping Ciara get ready for dinner." Fingulas had never spoken back to a senior servant but was sick of Airana's attitude towards Ciara.  
  
Airana's eyes narrowed in anger and she slammed the door as she left.  
  
"Fingulas!" Moriana couldn't help but laugh, "I can't believe you just did that!"  
  
"It is about time someone put her in her place. I will hear about it later though, oh well." Fingulas shrugged.  
  
Another knock on the door and Boromir entered, prepared to escort Ciara to dinner.  
  
"Ready, milady?" Boromir smiled.  
  
"Of course." Ciara smiled and followed Boromir out the door though not before giving both Moriana and Fingulas a sympathetic smile for the soon-to- happen confrontation with Airana.  
  
~ 


	12. The Tradegy

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
I am asking for forgiveness ahead of time for the characterization that I give Theodred and Eomund! We don't get to see their characters develop at all in the books so I am taking some great liberties here! Sorry, but it does add to my story! ~  
  
Fingulas and Moriana stood alone in Ciara's room together waiting for Airana to return. Soon enough the door flew open and Airana stood fuming.  
  
"What was that!?" Airana slammed the door behind her.  
  
"As I told you before, we were busy at the moment. Could you not see that we were waiting upon our lady? You know very well that her will come before yours." Fingulas said proudly and Moriana stood silently behind wishing her luck for the oncoming rage from Airana.  
  
"Just you wait until later when the senior servants hear about this! You will be out of a job and a home faster than anything you've ever known before!" Airana shouted before she turned and stormed out of the room.  
  
Fingulas and Moriana stood staring at the door that swung back open from the impact of being slammed shut so hard. Moriana quietly went and shut the door and returned to Fingulas who knew sat on the bed with her head in her hands.  
  
"What have I done?" Fingulas sighed.  
  
"Fingulas, Fingulas, don't worry. Ciara knows what has happened and she won't let them get rid of you. It'll all be okay in the end, you'll see." Moriana tried to reassure Fingulas but she wasn't so certain of the outcome herself. The senior servants could be very harsh at times.  
  
~  
  
The next morning Fingulas and Moriana found Ciara still sleeping in bed when they entered her room to help her prepare for her day ahead.  
  
"Ciara, my lady, wake up." Fingulas whispered into Ciara's ear.  
  
Ciara rolled over and looked Fingulas in the eyes, "Oh! You startled me."  
  
"You know, for being an elf, you sure sleep like a mortal!" Moriana joked.  
  
"I know I do. I have some horrible habits for being an elf. I swear there is mortal somewhere in my family that I get it all from." Ciara laughed and crawled out of bed.  
  
Fingulas went to Ciara's wardrobe and pulled open the doors, there she stood in shock, "Uh, Ciara." Fingulas finally muttered and Moriana and Ciara came over.  
  
"Oh my!" Moriana stared at the same thing Fingulas was looking at.  
  
"Where did all my clothes go?" Ciara asked blankly. Before the three women stood a completely empty wardrobe.  
  
"I have no idea." Fingulas shook her head and moved to open the next wardrobe, same thing. It was completely empty.  
  
"What happened to them all?" Moriana shut the door and opened it again, just in case any dresses had decided to reappear.  
  
"I think we are going to have to go to the seamstress to have new dresses made for you today." Fingulas shook her head.  
  
"I want to go with you, I don't want anymore blue or violet dresses." Ciara nodded.  
  
"Well, you can't go in those clothes." Moriana pointed to Ciara's nightclothes.  
  
Ciara smiled and pulled on her dress from last night as she followed the two down the hall.  
  
~ In Rohan ~  
  
"My lords, the lady Eomund is not feeling well and the healer requests that Eomund come and see her, please." An attendant announced to Theoden and Eomund in Theoden's study where they were discussing political matters.  
  
Eomund nodded and followed the attendant towards the room his wife had been since the birth of their daughter Eowyn.  
  
"My lord, the healer is very fearful for the lady's health, she is not at all in the good health she once was and the healer is not certain that she will ever recover." The attendant said quietly to his lord.  
  
Eomund entered the room where the healer and an array of other attendants were standing around a still figure on a bed.  
  
"My lord! I am so sorry, the lady has just passed!" The healer came forward with tears streaming down her face; the attendant caught the healer in his arms before she fell down. Eomund rushed to the bedside of his beloved wife. Her face was already starting to turn that deathly morbid white of death and the warmth of the human body had left her.  
  
"No!" Eomund cried and pulled his young wife to him. He kissed her forehead and let the tears spill onto her face.  
  
The other attendants watched in tears as well, the love story of Eomund and his lady was well known in the land by all.  
  
~  
  
"Uncle, tell me a story please." Little Eomer crawled into his uncle's lap.  
  
"What story my brave young warrior?" Theoden smiled down at the little boy.  
  
"The one of grandfather and his brave soldier's at war!" Eomer cried out happily.  
  
"That one I know well." Theoden smiled at his adventurous little nephew. He loved him like his own son. A son who would listen and obey the orders of a father, a son who would bring hope and peace to his people and his land, a son who loved his father and would grow to become a great king. Not a son who listened to the twisted and tainted words of a woman twisted and tainted in a web of her own lies and deceit.  
  
"My lord! The lady Eomund has just passed away!" An attendant ran into Theoden's study to announce the news. Theoden sat in shock for a moment. How could the good, sweet, young bride of Eomund have passed? Theoden picked up the little Eomer and carried him to his dead mother's room.  
  
"My lord." An attendant bowed as Theoden entered the room.  
  
"Mommy?" Eomer whispered quietly as he saw her lying on the bed with Eomund hunched over her crying.  
  
"I am sorry my nephew, your mother is dead." Theoden set Eomer on the ground and held the little boy by the shoulders.  
  
"Dead? When will she be better?"  
  
"She isn't going to get better. She is gone."  
  
"When is she coming back?"  
  
"I am sorry, she won't be." Theoden looked into the confused eyes of a little boy who just lost his mother and couldn't think of anything to say other than. "I'm sorry."  
  
~  
  
"Mother, mother have you heard the news?" Theodred entered his mothers' poorly lit room.  
  
"No, what is it?"  
  
"The lady Eomund has just died."  
  
"What?" Theodred's mother turned and looked at her son.  
  
"She was too weak from her birth, she is dead. This is your fault you know, you wished her dead the night before last and now it is so." Theodred whispered fervently.  
  
"No, my son, women's wishes do not just come true. Everyone knew she was weak and wouldn't live long but this, this is soon." She stood and looked out the window as the rain started to slowly fall over the lands.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Theodred went and stood in front of his mother.  
  
"We are going to do? We are not going to do anything because, there is nothing for us to do."  
  
Theodred stood staring at his mother still partially blaming her for the death of Rohan's most favoured woman.  
  
"I know what you can do though."  
  
"What am I supposed to do?" Theodred knew his mother was thinking of something.  
  
"You are going to Gondor, take some of your men with you and go find the Lady Ciara. I want you to make her fall in love with you, she must return to Rohan with you! Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes but, why?"  
  
"Because she is the key to our success! If we have her we have not only Gondor on our side but the elves as well!"  
  
"How do we know this?"  
  
"She is the daughter of the steward of Gondor, Denethor may not love her but I doubt his would risk his reputation is she married you. And she is an elf, you know how elves are they stick together and we have her they will be with us I am sure of that at least from Lord Elrond from Rivendell and he's the one we want the most."  
  
"If only you had been born a man, what a king you would have made." Theodred sighed and looked at his mother who stood smiling in her plans as she gazed out the window.  
  
~  
  
Theoden sat on his throne beside Eomund that evening, both in complete silence.  
  
"I am leaving with some men for Gondor tonight. We are going to better the peace relations between our lands." Theodred announced to Theoden as he walked up.  
  
"Who decided upon this?" Theoden was not aware that anyone was being sent out to better the relations.  
  
"Your wife." Theodred answered.  
  
It took Theoden all he had in him not to roll his eyes, the thought of his wife sending out a peacemaking party was more unlikely than men sailing to the undying lands, it just doesn't happen.  
  
"Do not mess up the relations or you will be help personally accountable, remember these words well for when you return you will be judged by them not as a son of a king but as any man in this court might be and the outcome could be grave indeed." Theoden warned his son before he left.  
  
Theodred nodded and left the hall, though he was now a bit anxious about his trip.  
  
~ In Gondor ~  
  
"How are relations looking with Rohan?" Denethor asked his most trusted advisor.  
  
"Better than they have been of recent my lord." His advisor relayed the news.  
  
"Good." Denethor nodded, "We need them on our side. I feel we may need them before too long."  
  
Denethor's attendant stared at his lord, he hoped that Denethor wasn't planning an attack on anyone. 


	13. Fireside Reading

Flower Of Gondor  
  
~  
  
In a few days' time Ciara had a complete new wardrobe from the ones that had disappeared somehow during that one night. Fingulas had come to the conclusion that Airana had took them but when a guard went to look for Airana in the city word had it that she had left the lands.  
  
"I know it was her, who else would do that? There are hardly any other women in the castle and the maids wouldn't dare go into Ciara's room and not only that but where would they put them? Where would they wear them? It makes perfect sense." Fingulas argued.  
  
"We believe you but we have no proof and anyways, she's gone, for good!" Moriana clapped happily.  
  
~  
  
"There are riders in the distance my lord. They look like Rohirrim." Denethor's attendant informed his lord.  
  
"Welcome them in." Denethor sighed, he was not in the mood to entertain company, "Ready some servants to prepare a feast and let the higher guards know they must be at dinner tonight." Denethor waved his attendant away and walked to the window to see these riders for himself.  
  
~  
  
"Boromir, your father wants you at dinner tonight as well as some of the higher guards, there are guests tonight. Believed to be from Rohan." Another attendant relaying the message to Boromir who was currently training with other guards.  
  
"Rohirrim? We were just in Rohan. Why would they be visiting us?" Boromir turned to the captain, Throdren.  
  
"Who knows, the people of Rohan are strange we all know that." Throdren shrugged.  
  
"You don't think the King's son would have come do you?" Boromir asked again.  
  
"How am I supposed to know? I don't live in Rohan, and glad of it." Throdren scoffed and continued sparring with his partner and Boromir's friend, Rydon.  
  
~  
  
Boromir ran to his room and had to rush to get ready for dinner that evening and Ciara was standing outside her door waiting for Boromir when he arrived to escort her to dinner.  
  
~  
  
"Why did we come here, Theodred?" One of the Rohirrim, and Theodred's good friend, Gilomen asked.  
  
"It's a long story."  
  
"Well, I want to hear it considering the guards of Gondor just visited us. Is your mother involved in this?" Gilomen looked Theodred in the eyes.  
  
"Yes, she is actually. I'll tell you but swear by my sword that you won't speak a word to anyone."  
  
"Swear." Gilomen nodded and he grabbed the hilt of Theodred's sword.  
  
"My mother wants me to make the daughter of the steward to fall in love with me, she has to come back to Rohan with us." Theodred whispered to Gilomen.  
  
"What? That is ridiculous." Gilomen shook his head, Theodred's mother was the strangest women that he knew, women were suppose to watch the children and please the men, not think.  
  
"It is a political move that will help Rohan, that's why she wants it."  
  
"'Let the king run the land and let the queen be a model citizen', isn't that the old saying?"  
  
"Yes but, it matters not. I need to marry soon and the girl is good enough." Theodred shrugged.  
  
"But how do you know she will make a good wife?" Gilomen asked.  
  
"I don't." Theodred confessed.  
  
"Well then."  
  
~  
  
Denethor sat at the head of the table waiting for the Rohirrim and the guards to enter.  
  
"Evening father." Boromir entered with Ciara.  
  
"Oh, evening my son and my beautiful daughter. Come, sit here by me." Denethor stood and hugged Boromir and gave Ciara a kiss on each cheek. Ciara was surprised by this display of affection. Denethor had warmed up to her but had never really truly shown any real affection towards her. Boromir seemed just as surprised but was smiling happily about it.  
  
"Boromir!" Faramir entered the hall out of breath and headed straight towards Boromir.  
  
"What is it, brother?" Boromir looked towards Faramir.  
  
"The king's son has come." Faramir informed Boromir in a whisper so others wouldn't overhear.  
  
Boromir's smile faded and he sighed as he sat back in his chair, "Wonderful."  
  
Faramir gave a sympathetic smile and headed to his own chair.  
  
"Good evening Denethor son of Ecthelion Steward of Gondor." Theodred greeted Denethor as he entered the room.  
  
"Welcome Theodred son of Theoden Prince of Rohan." Denethor stood and gave a slight bow to Theodred.  
  
"Let me introduce the seven most honoured Rohirrim and Eomer son of Eomund nephew to the king." Theodred introduced his eight companions.  
  
"Please, enter my halls and make yourself at home. For now we feast and speak friendly words towards one another and later you and I shall speak of political matters." Denethor smiled and sat back down.  
  
The little Eomer, who had put up a wonderful fit in order to be allowed to come immediately recognized Boromir, Faramir and Ciara and headed right towards them.  
  
"Hi!" Eomer smiled broadly as he stopped at Ciara's side.  
  
"Hello there little Eomer. How are you faring?" Ciara smiled at the darling little boy.  
  
"I remember you. You were at my home not to long ago." Eomer smiled proudly at remembering her, "You were the pretty lady with the strange ears." Eomer announced.  
  
Boromir and Faramir couldn't help but laugh at this remark and Ciara too, seemed to think it was funny.  
  
"Are you not hungry after that long journey?" Ciara smiled at the boy.  
  
"Very!" Eomer nodded and looked longingly at the food set upon the table.  
  
"Here, you can sit with me and we shall eat together." Ciara moved over in her chair so Eomer could sit beside her.  
  
~  
  
"Look, Theodred, little Eomer has made it in well with that maiden over there." Theodred's other friend, Nailond joked.  
  
Theodred looked up and saw that the maiden in question was none other than the exalted Ciara.  
  
"I see." Theodred nodded and he wasn't sure why but he felt a pang of jealously, though it was foolish to be jealous of a child.  
  
~  
  
"What is the reason, son of Theoden, for this visit here?" Denethor asked Theodred later that evening after dinner had finally ended.  
  
"It is a political venture, to better relations between Rohan and Gondor. That is what my father wished. He wants old feuds forgotten and a new alliance forged." Theodred told Denethor, which was the truth, he just did not tell all of the truth about the matter.  
  
~  
  
"Little Eomer, where are you going to stay tonight?" Ciara asked the child as she held his hand and led him down the twisting halls.  
  
"I don't know." Eomer answered as he took in all the sights of the castle.  
  
"Why don't you sleep in my spare room? My servants will prepare a nice bed for you and they will look after you very well. Would you like that?" Ciara asked.  
  
"Yes! And you can tell me stories, please!?" Eomer exclaimed.  
  
"Of course, I will tell you all the stories you wish. Whatever ones you want!" Ciara laughed an led Eomer into the small sitting room that she rarely ever used.  
  
Moriana and Fingulas hurriedly made a comfortable bed for the little boy and soon Ciara and Eomer were seated next to the small fire to keep them warm and Eomer was enraptured in a story of bravery, courage, and battle being told by Ciara.  
  
~  
  
Boromir knocked lightly on Ciara's door the next morning. When no one answered he slowly opened the door and called Ciara's name so he wouldn't surprise her. Though, no one answered.  
  
Boromir walked in and looked around he pushed open the drapes that hid the extra room from view and saw Ciara lying on the floor with Eomer's head resting in her lap. Boromir smiled to himself and walked towards the two.  
  
Ciara was the first to open her eyes, "Good morning." Ciara smiled.  
  
"Have fun last night?" Boromir smiled back.  
  
"I fell asleep after telling Eomer a story. He is such a sweet little boy." Ciara sat up and gently moved Eomer back into the bed made for him and stood to stretch.  
  
"I am going to be training and meeting with the Rohirrim today. Are you going to watch little Eomer or should I send for a servant to watch over him?" Boromir asked.  
  
"I can watch him. I'll have something to do then." Ciara decided.  
  
"That's good. If you change your mind there is always a servant who can take over. I have to go but have a nice day and, I will escort you to dinner tonight." Boromir stood to leave.  
  
"Don't be late." Ciara warned jokingly and waved him off.  
  
"Ciara?" Eomer's voice called from amid the piles of fur, blankets and pillows.  
  
"I'm here." Ciara sat back down next to Eomer.  
  
"I'm hungry." Eomer yawned.  
  
"Come, let us go find something to eat then." Ciara stood back up again and held her hand out for Eomer.  
  
~ 


	14. Political Stratagems

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
Okay guys! This chapter is long! I want lots of reviews for this one! Just a warning there is violence, some potty words, and other bad things. Let's just say this chapter is rated "R" for a reason! Fair warning! And I think I pulled a major "Deus ex Machina" sorry about that!  
  
~  
  
Ciara and Eomer sat in the kitchen eating the small breakfast that one of the servants had put together for them when Theodred came in bright and smiling.  
  
"Theodred." Ciara smiled in greeting though didn't bother to stand and greet him.  
  
"Hello, you look positively radiant this morning." Theodred smiled broadly and sat down across from Ciara.  
  
"Theodred, aren't you hungry?" Eomer asked as he stuffed his little mouth full of the freshly baked bread.  
  
"No, I've already eaten this morning little Eomer. Where did you sleep last night?" Theodred asked the little boy.  
  
"I slept with Ciara, we fell asleep by the fire together." Eomer answered, not realising how that statement sounded.  
  
"He didn't bother you did he?" Theodred looked to Ciara.  
  
"No, I enjoyed having company last night. I told him stories and we both fell asleep in my extra room. He is such a sweet little boy." Ciara smiled at Eomer and Eomer smiled back and answered, "Ciara is my new best friend. She tells me all kinds of stories and she's nice to me." Eomer beamed at his new friend.  
  
"Oh, Eomer, you're my best friend too." Ciara giggled and tickled Eomer's stomach bringing a ringing laughter to the dull kitchen.  
  
Theodred smiled at the two though he had a strange hint of jealousy as well, "Well, I'm glad that you two are getting along so smashingly. I must go to Denethor's study and finish our previous discussion of political matters. Enjoy your day you two." Theodred stood and strode out of the room.  
  
"My mom says things about him." Eomer said in a whisper after Theodred left.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ciara whispered back.  
  
"I can't tell you here, they're secrets." Eomer looked around to see if anyone might be listening in.  
  
"Come on, let's go into the woods. I haven't been there in a long time. I'll show you my secret place." Ciara grabbed Eomer's hand and led him through the winding halls and out of the house and to the woods that only the 'royal' family used.  
  
"I like going into forests." Eomer looked up at the tall trees.  
  
"Tell me about Theodred, no one will hear us out here." Ciara sat under a particularly large tree and started braiding flowers together into a garland.  
  
"My mom said that Theodred would be a nice boy but his mother is tainted."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"I don't know what that means." Eomer shrugged.  
  
"Tainted is something that has turned bad from corruption." Ciara tried to explain the word, "Do you know what corruption means?"  
  
"Yes. So, tainted means she is not a nice person?"  
  
"I guess so, yes." Ciara nodded.  
  
"My mom says that Theodred has listened to the words of his mother too long and she is corrupting him with them. Theodred doesn't listen to Theoden, the king, only his mother." Eomer finally sat down next to Ciara.  
  
"You are very smart for your age, did you know that?"  
  
"That's just what my mom says to me. She tells me not to tell anyone these things but I can't hold it in any longer. I think you can keep it a secret. I know you won't tell Theodred, he scares you." Eomer smiled and handed Ciara more flowers.  
  
"I'm not scared of him."  
  
"Yes you are, whenever he comes in you never smile and you get really quiet." Eomer smiled at Ciara.  
  
"That doesn't mean I'm scared."  
  
"Don't lie. You're scared but not like scared like scared of the dark, a different kind." Eomer explained.  
  
Ciara looked at Eomer, what a strange little boy he was. Very smart for his age but Ciara guessed it had to do with the environment he grew up in.  
  
~  
  
Boromir stood watching over his fellow guards practicing their movements over and over again, they were all so used to the same routine they moved in perfect unison, not a foot to be seen out of line or off time. The steady commands from the captain in charge were so often heard they were just another part of the air around them.  
  
"You're turn." A voice broke Boromir's train of thought. Boromir nodded and stepped into the sea of endless movement with the men.  
  
After another two hours of practiced movements Boromir was more than ready to return to his room and relax for the few moments he had before escorted Ciara to dinner.  
  
~  
  
Theodred met with the few men he had with him after his meeting with Ciara, he was becoming very agitated by the few short conversation he had had with Ciara and he had a feeling that she had no feelings for him. This would not bode well.  
  
"Have you gotten anywhere with Ciara yet?" Gilomen asked Theodred.  
  
"I spoke to her this morning but she did not seem very responsive. I don't think she has feelings for me. I am thinking I am going to have to talk to Denethor directly." Theodred shook his head.  
  
"How is that going to work out? She's only been here a short time now." Gilomen waved off the three Rohirrim who were waiting to ask permission to leave to go into the city.  
  
"I don't know, I'm hoping he will see this as a brilliant political move, I'll make sure his advisor is present as well." Theodred added.  
  
"Wise move, should I join you?" Gilomen suggested.  
  
"That might help." Theodred nodded, "Well, I guess now is a good a time as any."  
  
"Let's go." Gilomen nodded and followed Theodred back to Denethor's study.  
  
Fingulas stood against the wall listening to the two men talking and as soon as they left ran to Ciara's room to tell her the news.  
  
~  
  
Ciara and Eomer has just returned to her room with Fingulas came rushing in.  
  
"Ciara!" Fingulas was out of breath when she came in.  
  
"What in the world? Have you been running?" Ciara sat Fingulas on the bed and looked at her.  
  
"I just- I just heard Theodred." Fingulas gasped for air.  
  
"Rest for a moment then tell me about Theodred." Ciara went to the door and looked out before closing it.  
  
"Theodred and one of the other men were talking and I heard Theodred say that you weren't being very responsive to him and that he had to talk to Denethor directly and that hopefully Denethor would see this as a political move and that an advisor had to be there and his friend said he was going with him and they went to go talk to Denethor right now!" Fingulas's words fell out in a hurry and it took Ciara a moment to realize what Fingulas had said.  
  
"I don't completely understand what that means." Ciara looked at Fingulas in confusion.  
  
"Theodred wants you to go back to Rohan with him!" Fingulas cried.  
  
"What?!" Ciara gasped.  
  
"It's true!" Eomer burst, "I thought I heard Theodred talking about taking the steward's daughter home with him to better the relations between Gondor and Rohan and so the elves would like Rohan too. You're the steward's daughter?" Eomer looked at Ciara.  
  
"Yes, his foster daughter! The elves? What do they have to do with this?" Ciara sat on the bed next to Fingulas.  
  
"Theodred's mother thinks that if you go back to Rohan then Gondor and the elves will protect Rohan from future wars." Eomer explained.  
  
"The elves? They would not. I left them!" Ciara shook her head, "This is horrible! I don't want to be Theodred's wife! I don't like him!"  
  
"You would hate it." Eomer nodded.  
  
"We have to get Boromir!" Fingulas burst out and ran to the door.  
  
"Come on!" Ciara grabbed Eomer's hand and ran after Fingulas.  
  
Fingulas flung open the door and rushed out, right into Boromir knocking him over, Ciara and Eomer followed out and tripped onto them.  
  
"Boromir! Thank goodness we found you!" Fingulas grabbed onto Boromir's tunic and looked at him.  
  
"Uh." Boromir looked at Fingulas who was lying on top of him and Ciara and Eomer who were also sprawled over him and Fingulas.  
  
"Yes!" Ciara agreed.  
  
"What is going on?" Boromir asked finally.  
  
"Bad news!" Ciara answered.  
  
"It's about Theodred." Eomer added.  
  
"What about him?" That immediately caught Boromir's attention.  
  
"Come in my room." Ciara stood and helped Eomer and Fingulas up as they trouped into her room and Fingulas recounted what she had heard.  
  
Boromir listened and when she was done put his head in his hands, "I don't know what we can do."  
  
"Can't you talk to your father?" Fingulas asked.  
  
"He listens to me but not when it comes to political matters." Boromir shook his head.  
  
"Oh no." Ciara could fell tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
"Oh no, no, no, don't cry sweetie." Fingulas sat next to Ciara and out her arms around her, "It's okay, we'll figure something out."  
  
"If I can't talk to my father than we will find a safe place for you. I know a woman who lives in the woods, she'll take care of you." Boromir smiled sadly at Ciara.  
  
"Let it work. I don't want to leave." Ciara sniffed lightly.  
  
~  
  
"Lord Denethor." Theodred and Gilomen bowed to the steward and entered his study, his advisor sitting next to him.  
  
"You wished a private audience?" Denethor nodded.  
  
"Yes, it is of political matters best discussed in private." Theodred explained as he seated himself.  
  
"Then let's begin." Denethor nodded.  
  
"It is about forging an alliance that will last between our lands for years to come. My father feels it would be beneficial to have the Lady Ciara join us in Rohan as my beautiful bride." Theodred cut right to the chase.  
  
"Ahh," Denethor leant back in his chair and thought for a moment, the girl he had taken in now to be used as political gain. It was a promising prospect, the people loved Ciara, they loved the thought of her and an alliance with Rohan would surely be most beneficial. But what if the people would object to her leaving? "I will discuss this with my advisor and get back to you later on it." Denethor decided.  
  
Theodred remained quiet for a moment, "Is that all, my lord?"  
  
"Yes." Denethor nodded.  
  
Theodred rose and bowed and Gilomen followed in suit.  
  
~  
  
"That was much shorter than I would have liked it to be." Theodred turned to Gilomen.  
  
"We didn't discuss it at all, I was expecting to be in there much longer. You should have mentioned more benefits to an alliance between our lands."  
  
"I couldn't think of anything at the moment, my mind drew a blank." Theodred shrugged.  
  
~  
  
The six Rohirrim who had left to go see the city were still out much later that evening, in a tavern drinking the strongest Gondorian brew they could find.  
  
"This is some potent ale here." One of the men raised the glass to the bartender.  
  
"Yes, the strongest we've got here." The bartender nodded at the praise.  
  
"Come dance with me, pretty woman." One of the other men grabbed a lady walking by and started to dance unceremoniously with her.  
  
"No., let go!" The woman tried to pull away but the Rohirrim held on.  
  
"I said dance with me."  
  
"That is my lady you are dancing with, I command you to let her go." The lady's husband walked over to gather his wife from the arms of the Rohirrim.  
  
"You, sir, do not command me to do anything." The Rohirrim turned and glared back at the man.  
  
"I said let go of her." The man stepped closer and grabbed the Rohirrim's arm.  
  
The Rohirrim soldier swung his fist fast at the other man and hit him in the side of the face.  
  
"Hey!" One of the man's friends ran over and grabbed his wife off to the side and headed back towards the Rohirrim, "What do you think you are doing?!"  
  
"Having my way with your whore of a wife!"  
  
"You do not insult my wife you dirty-"The man's words were cut off with the Rohirrim soldier's fist coming flying at his face, soon a brawl had broken out between the soldier and the two men and the other Rohirrim were rushing to join in.  
  
"No!" The wife screamed and rushed to pull a soldier off of her husband who had been knocked to the floor in the fight, "Get off him!"  
  
~  
  
"Lord Denethor, I think this may be a wise move." Denethor's advisor suggested after Theodred had left.  
  
"I thought so too, will the people be happy is what I am mostly concerned about. It is their opinion that matters most now. If they want her to stay, she stays, if they don't mind her leaving, she leaves." Denethor outlined.  
  
"The people would admire an alliance between Rohan and Gondor." The advisor smiled.  
  
"She goes."  
  
~  
  
"He's dead! No! No! He's dead!" The woman leant over her bleeding husband crying out in sorrow.  
  
"Get out of here you dirty Rohirrim bastards!" The barkeeper ushered the Rohirrim towards the door, "Look what you have done!"  
  
One of the Rohirrim pushed the bartender back into the wall and knocked his unconscious.  
  
"I hate you! All of you! Look at what you did!" The woman screamed and ran towards the foremost Rohirrim soldier and banged against his armour. "I hope you all rot in Mordor for this! Curse upon all of you!"  
  
"Watch your mouth woman or you'll be next!" One of the Rohirrim stepped forward with his arm raised.  
  
"If you hit her I will kill you." The woman's friend stepped forward in a menacing tone.  
  
"Get out of my way old man, I'm going to teach this woman a lesson that she'll never forget." The soldier pushed the man back slapped the woman across the face, she spun around and fell into the chair behind her. The soldier advanced again towards her and leant down close to her now bleeding face, "Don't you ever insult a Rohirrim soldier ever again." He slapped her one more time with the back of his hand and backed away, "Do what you want with her." The soldier motioned to his fellow Rohirrim and stepped over the woman's dead husband and towards the door.  
  
Outside Theodred and Gilomen were headed towards the tavern, "Men! Back away, here comes Theodred!" The soldier called into the tavern.  
  
~ 


	15. Such Sweet Sorrow

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
"What is going on here?" Gilomen stepped into the tavern and saw the tables and chairs all askew and the people lying randomly on the floor, one man lying on a mixture of blood and ale.  
  
"They started insulting us and a fight broke out." The foremost soldier answered.  
  
"Is that man okay?" Gilomen stepped towards the woman's husband.  
  
"Uh, we aren't sure yet." The soldier lied.  
  
"He's dead! He's dead!" The woman stepped towards Gilomen and accused the soldier.  
  
"Is this true?" Theodred stepped forward to see the man better. The soldier knelt down and felt for a pulse.  
  
"His heart isn't beating." The soldier said.  
  
"Well, that's lovely. We are here to better the relations between our lands and you kill a man and beat his wife!" Gilomen screamed at the soldier.  
  
"Gilomen, calm down. We can fix this before anyone knows about it at all." Theodred answered quickly. There were a few mumbles from the Rohirrim and Theodred looked up to see civilians looking in the windows and quite a few people standing in the doorway looking on from the other half of the tavern.  
  
"What are you going to do? Kill all them too?" Gilomen asked sarcastically.  
  
"Go ahead, it will only add more faults to your record and someone is on the way now to the Steward to let him know of this misfortune." A man smiled from the doorway.  
  
"Come on men." Gilomen instructed and the Rohirrim followed him out of the tavern leaving the women to mourn over her dead husband and the people to clean the mess that had been made.  
  
~  
  
"My lord! My lord! An urgent message from the people!" An attendant ran into the great hall were Denethor was accepting visitors for a while.  
  
"What is it?" Denethor waved the attendant up to him.  
  
The attendant leaned towards Denethor and whispered in his ear, "A civilian had been murdered by the Rohirrim in a tavern brawl, a woman beaten, another man beaten, and the barkeep knocked unconscious." The attendant relied the news.  
  
"Get some guards there immediately to take care of this, bring the woman to the hall and the other two men, also some of those who saw the incident, let no one leave the city this night, especially the Rohirrim! I want those Rohirrim brought to me, immediately!" Denethor swiftly ordered, Denethor prized the happiness of his people because it meant an easier rule for him and his heirs, the people must be cared for.  
  
The attendant nodded and rushed back out the door, "Please, visitation is over for this night, I will accept visitors again on the morrow at the same time, an urgency has occurred." Denethor announced to the lords and ladies that awaited his audience.  
  
~  
  
"Ciara! Ciara!" Eomer ran into Ciara's room out of breath and with tears streaming down his face.  
  
"What is it my little Eomer that has made you so upset?" Ciara caught Eomer in her arms and held him to her.  
  
"I just heard!" Eomer bawled into Ciara's shoulder.  
  
"Heard what?" Ciara patted Eomer's back in an attempt to calm him.  
  
"One of the Rohirrim has done something bad. They killed a man!" Eomer whispered as he tried to stop his crying.  
  
"They what?!" Ciara couldn't believe what she just heard. The sound of feet rushing down the hall called Ciara's attention to the door. She ran and stood in the door watching as Boromir and Faramir rushed past with an attendant, neither said anything to her but ran by.  
  
"What-"Ciara started but stopped as they ran by in silent fury.  
  
"Denethor has called the Rohirrim to a meeting, let's go listen!" Eomer sniffed.  
  
"We can't. Oh but how I want to." Ciara bit her lip and turned to face Eomer.  
  
"Why not? No one will have to know!" Eomer smiled.  
  
"Oh, come on! Let's go!" Ciara flew out the door with Eomer close behind.  
  
The two ran down the hall and stopped at the corner before Denethor's study. The door just shut as they ran up and immediately voices could be heard inside. Ciara and Eomer edged closer to the door so they could hear more clearly.  
  
"Explain yourselves immediately!" Denethor commanded from inside.  
  
"I'll let my men who were in the tavern and fully responsible for this event to explain to not only you but to myself as well. I would like to say now that myself and my most trusted friend Gilomen were not involved nor aware of the events that have happened and the men did not have our consent to be out at all." Theodred stepped forward to save himself from being blamed for this.  
  
"Maybe you should learn to better the obedience of you men." Denethor's advisor snapped.  
  
"The men and I were sitting in the tavern, enjoying your very expertly brewed ale when a woman walked by and said something very rude indeed to one of my men and her husband and friends started to laugh and-"  
  
"Untrue, my lord!" One of the witnesses called out.  
  
"That's all wrong!" Another interjected.  
  
"Let him finish and you can have your part." The advisor said nicely to the people.  
  
"So my man suggested to her that she should return to her friends as we were just visiting and trying to be friendly and not cause problems and then she insulted him again and her husband came forward and after that I can't remember much except that a fight followed." The head of the Rohirrim told his version of the story.  
  
"That is a lie!" The same man as before called out.  
  
"Please tell us what you two saw." The advisor turned to the witnesses. The two men told the story nearly exactly as it had happened in the tavern down to nearly every detail and included the part where the lead Rohirrim was going to let the men have their way with the woman.  
  
Denethor and the advisor sat in silence, the two men had a much more believable story than the Rohirrim. "Let the woman speak now." Denethor sighed.  
  
An attendant led the woman forward who had been sitting silently in the back of the room. The woman still had tears running down her face but now bruises were starting to form and the blood from her mouth had dried and caked onto her chin and dried into her dress, she looked like she had had a harsh beating.  
  
"My lady, state your name please." The advisor stepped towards the woman.  
  
"Arianna. I'm a mid-wife in the town." The woman sniffed.  
  
"You beat a mid-wife and killed her husband?" Denethor gave the Rohirrim very harsh looks, "I want your men to leave my lands immediately tonight. I do not want any of them to ever come near Gondorian lands again. As for you two, you two will stay and we will have council." Denethor commanded.  
  
Ciara and Eomer ran away from the door and back to their safe place around the corner and for good reason, as soon as they resumed hiding the Rohirrim burst through the doorway and marched towards their rooms to prepare for their journey.  
  
"Dirty Gondorian bastards." One of the Rohirrim snarled as he left the room.  
  
"I heard that! You are all Rohan rot! May your land lay in perpetual waste and demise!" One of the witnesses called to the soldier.  
  
"Watch your tongue sir, do not insult the realm of Rohan in front of me ever again!" Theodred had drawn his sword and had it held at the man's stomach.  
  
"Do not presume that you have to right to threaten a man of my court in my house." Denethor said warningly to Theodred.  
  
"No matter who's court I'm in, no one has the right to insult the land of my mother." Theodred replied back and reluctantly lowered his sword.  
  
"I will say as I wish in my own court do not try to counsel me in the ways of a lord in mine own house, I have let your men off easy but I will not be generous again." Denethor stood up and stared harshly at Theodred.  
  
"I do not begin to think that you will show your mercy again." Theodred replied curtly.  
  
"Watch what you say to our father or you will find yourself at the mercy of my sword." Boromir stepped forward, sword unsheathed and anger in his eyes.  
  
Ciara and Eomer could now see into the after the door had been left open and saw the whole scene unfold before them. Ciara held her breath when Boromir stepped forward and Eomer was holding onto Ciara's belt tightly in anticipation.  
  
"Things do not bode well for Rohan and Gondor right now." Denethor stated to the room in a warning.  
  
"Hand over your daughter and Rohan will look upon Gondor as a brother." Theodred suggested though his sword was still drawn.  
  
"Your land is not fit for the beauty and the grace of Lady Ciara. Take your men and yourself and return to your forlorn land. Let it be known from now on that Rohan and Gondor are not brothers in bond or war and look for no aid here." Denethor sneered at Theodred and Gilomen.  
  
"Let it be known." Theodred sneered back and left the room, sword still drawn.  
  
"I must go!" Eomer whispered to Ciara and started running down the hall but stopped half-way and looked back at Ciara. He ran back to her and both wrapped their arms around each other in a loving hug, "I will miss your Ciara."  
  
"Little Eomer, my heart aches at our parting, never forget me." Ciara kissed Eomer lightly on the brow and Eomer smiled sadly as a single tear gave away the braveness he tried to show in his face.  
  
"Hopefully we will meet in better times." Eomer said and ran before more tears could fall. Ciara watched his little figure retreat down the hall and returned to her own room to watch the Rohirrim depart.  
  
~ 


	16. A Brother's Warning

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
This one is because I fell in love with a waiter named Phil on holiday, he was gorgeous! Ciara gets the same treatment!  
  
And, just a note. This story will be ending in about two or three chapters. GASP!! Oh but wait, there will be a second part! That's right kids, your very own volume two of Flower of Gondor! Never fear, Ciara is near! Just a heads up and tentatively the name will be Flower of Gondor, Part Two. But I might get creative and name it something else. Any suggestions? Thanks, I'm out! Don't forget drop a review for me!  
  
~  
  
"There goes all hopes of an alliance with Rohan." Denethor frowned towards his advisor.  
  
"We do not need them. Besides now we can keep the lady Ciara in the city. The people like her." Denethor's advisor watched as the Rohirrim rode towards the city gates.  
  
"Yes, that is true. Bring my son to me I wish to speak with him." Denethor sat back in his comfortable chair and sighed.  
  
~  
  
"Ciara, what is wrong?" Faramir stood in Ciara's doorway and watched Ciara silently cry on her bed.  
  
"I don't know. I've never had anything like this happen to me before." Ciara shook her head.  
  
"What do you mean?" Faramir entered the room and sat on the bed next to Ciara and gently rubbed her back.  
  
"Little Eomer and I were friends and he had to leave now I don't know if I'll see him ever again." Ciara sniffed.  
  
"It is hard to say good-bye."  
  
"No. Good-bye is easy. Good-bye to friends is hard." Ciara leaned her head against Faramir's strong shoulder and tried to stop the tears.  
  
"Yes, that is always the hardest. But, you will make friends here in Gondor too and they won't have to leave to return home." Faramir tried to cheer her up, "You have me and Boromir and I believe you have become close to both Moriana and Fingulas." Faramir pointed out.  
  
"Yes, you are right. I have more friends here than I have ever had before. It's nice." Ciara smiled and wiped the tears from her face. "I will just forget Eomer after a while anyways."  
  
"You don't have to forget but move on." Faramir gave Ciara a loving squeeze around her shoulders.  
  
~  
  
"Ciara, life has been very boring around here." Moriana sighed as she and Ciara sat on Ciara's bed together looking out over the trees that were being gently pushed back and forth by the wind.  
  
"It's good." Ciara couldn't tear her eyes away from the leaves on the trees.  
  
"What is happening between you and Boromir? Nothing lately?" Moriana fell back into the plush bed.  
  
"Nothing. He has been so busy with the guards that we haven't had much time together really." Ciara shrugged. It was true, Boromir had been consumed with training with the guards for the past few months and was rarely seen in the house anymore except late at night when he returned from training. Faramir had taken to training too but, not quite so in depth and still had time to spend with Ciara and his other friends.  
  
"I haven't seen that boy in weeks." Fingulas remarked as she emerged from the bathing room.  
  
"Me either." Ciara rolled her eyes.  
  
"I think we should go out and do something tonight." Moriana suggested.  
  
"Like what do you suggest?" Fingulas suggested in a very sarcastic manner.  
  
"We should go to a tavern and meet some people, some handsome men to make us feel better." Moriana sat up and smiled at the other two.  
  
"Are you serious?!" Fingulas was in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, very. We could go to the taverns on Ardorian street. Those are the best ones, always packed with men." Moriana wiggled her eyebrows. Ciara let out a little giggle and Fingulas gasped.  
  
"No! We can't go there! Those places are rowdy! Do you know what kind of people go there?!" Fingulas hissed to Moriana.  
  
"Sure I do. People who like to have a good time. We are looking for a good time so why not go right to the place where people know how to have a good time?" Moriana smiled.  
  
"I'm not going. I don't want to come stumbling home drunk after having some strange man touch me in places that he shouldn't have!" Fingulas shook her head vehemently.  
  
"I'll go." Ciara looked at Moriana.  
  
"Good, let's go then." Moriana stood and started towards the door.  
  
"Wait!" Fingulas ran to block the door, "You can't"  
  
"We are."  
  
"Promise me, promise me you won't do anything stupid."  
  
"Fingulas, we just need to bring some fun and happiness into our otherwise boring and pointless lives, it's fine."  
  
"We promise." Ciara added and both her and Moriana headed towards the door.  
  
"All right, all right! I'm coming." Fingulas changed her mind and followed the other two out.  
  
~  
  
"Theodred!" Theodred's mother's voice rang out through the great hall, "Where is your bride?!  
  
"Uh, mother, let us talk in private please." Theodred hurried towards his mother and led her towards a private sitting room.  
  
"I want to know why you are back so soon and why isn't that elf here with you now!"  
  
"There was some problems." Theodred sighed.  
  
"And there are about to be a few more! Explain yourself right this instant!"  
  
"I made the offer and Denethor was thinking about it but the men got into a tavern fight and a man wound up dead and we had to leave the city." Theodred gave his mother the very short version of the story.  
  
"They are all dead. I want them dead by this evening." Theodred's mother's face hardened and Theodred knew that the men were very much in danger right now, "Bring them all to me."  
  
Theodred nodded and left the room, "All of you, to my mother immediately."  
  
The Rohirrim all looked at each other and headed towards the room, "Dead men." One of the servants whispered as they passed by.  
  
~  
  
"Welcome my fair ladies, what'll you have?" The barkeeper asked as the three women filed up to the tavern counter.  
  
"The best you have." Moriana smiled.  
  
"Why, hello ladies, you all look stunning this evening." A man with greasy hair and crooked teeth leaned towards the three and smiled at them.  
  
"Uh, thanks." Ciara nodded and scooted towards the other direction of the counter.  
  
"Let's go sit over there." Moriana motioned towards a table a little ways away from the counter and near a rather large group of younger men.  
  
"I can't believe we are doing this." Fingulas whined as they all sat down.  
  
"How can I help you three lovelies?" One of the bar-attendants smiled as they sat down.  
  
"Thanks, we've just been helped." Moriana answered for the three and the attendant turned away.  
  
"He was beautiful." Ciara watched as the attendant headed towards another table, "I want to know who he is." Ciara couldn't tear her eyes away from him.  
  
"He is handsome isn't he? I think his name is Philemon." Moriana answered.  
  
"How do you know?" Fingulas stared at Moriana.  
  
"Remember, before I came to Denethor's house I lived in the city. I just happened to live here and come to these taverns because my family did." Moriana reminded Fingulas.  
  
"I want to talk to him." Ciara sighed and put her hand over her heart.  
  
"Oh honey. I'll get him over here. Just don't drool over yourself when you're talking." Moriana laughed though, she never got a chance to call Philemon over because he was already on his way.  
  
"Just checking on you ladies, need anything?' Philemon smiled and all three went completely silent. "I'll take that as a no then." Philemon smiled and headed towards another waiting table.  
  
"Well, um," Moriana snapped out of her daze, "There was your chance."  
  
"I went blank."  
  
"We all did. You were right, he is handsome." Fingulas nodded.  
  
"Uh, sigh." Ciara placed her hand over her heart and shook her head.  
  
~  
  
"Boromir! Boromir, I want to talk to you." Ciara stood outside her door that night waiting for Boromir to return to the house and head towards his room.  
  
"Ciara, what are you doing up this late?" Boromir stopped.  
  
"Waiting for you." Ciara answered.  
  
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather talk in the morning, you look tired." Boromir looked at Ciara's dark circles under her eyes.  
  
"No, I want to talk now." Ciara said firmly.  
  
"What have you to say?'  
  
"Boromir, I haven't seen you or spoken to you in nearly a month now." Ciara began.  
  
"Ciara, you know I have been busy with training. I must become a captain." Boromir cut in quickly.  
  
"I know that but you need to take a break every now and then and see your friends and family. Faramir and I haven't had time with you since the Rohirrim left and quite frankly I feel as if you had left with them. Does your family not matter to you anymore?!" Ciara stared hard into Boromir's eyes.  
  
"Ciara, you know that I care very much for both you and Faramir. Faramir himself has been busy training lately as well."  
  
"Yes, but he still finds time to spend with me and his friends. You though, I really thought there were beginnings of something between us and now those feelings have vanished." Ciara, for the first time, admitted that she had had feelings for Boromir. Boromir stood silent, unsure of what to say.  
  
"Ciara, I have feelings for you as well and I don't want them to go away."  
  
"Too late, Boromir, they've left." Ciara shook her head.  
  
"There is someone else then?'  
  
"Not particularly."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"I somewhat have my eye on someone else since you abandoned me in my time of need." Ciara snapped.  
  
"In your time of need?"  
  
"Yes, Boromir. I needed you to be there for me when the Rohirrim left. That was a hard time for me with Theodred asking for me as his wife and little Eomer leaving, I needed you!"  
  
"I am so sorry Ciara."  
  
"Not good enough, Boromir." Ciara sniffed and turned into her room, slamming the door behind her so Boromir could not see the tears that were threatening to fall. She felt bad that she had let her emotions take hold and did not fully mean all of the things she had said to Boromir.  
  
Boromir stood staring at the door debating mentally whether he should knock or leave. He chose the latter.  
  
"She's right you know." Faramir had heard the whole conversation from his open door and was know standing, watching Boromir.  
  
"I know." Boromir nodded and headed towards his room.  
  
"Don't let her slip to far away, you might wake up one day and find that she's not here any more." Faramir warned and Boromir stalked off down the hall, his ego and pride hurt at the harsh words and warnings heeded to him tonight, though he knew they were all correct.  
  
~ 


	17. A Fine Ending

Flower of Gondor  
  
~  
  
Faramir and Ciara sat side by side eating their breakfast in silence. It was three days since Ciara had talked with Boromir and Faramir had issued his warning and Boromir was still training as hard as ever with the guards.  
  
"Faramir, Ciara." A voice called softly from behind Ciara and Faramir. Both turned to see Boromir standing, sullen face, behind them, "Can I join you two?" Boromir couldn't even look them both in the eyes as he asked this.  
  
"Yes." Faramir nodded and scooted down the bench so Boromir could sit with them.  
  
The three sat in silence for a few minutes, each to shy or embarrassed to say anything. Finally Boromir broke the silence.  
  
"I'm sorry." That was it, that was all he said.  
  
Ciara looked at Boromir and smiled, "I'm sorry."  
  
Faramir gave Boromir a brotherly hug and Boromir stood to embrace Ciara as well.  
  
"I won't leave you like that again."  
  
"You'd better not." Ciara warned jokingly, glad that Boromir had realized his folly.  
  
~  
  
"My lord! My lord!" Theoden's advisor raced into Theoden's study, "the lady Theoden is ailing!"  
  
"What?" Theoden jumped to his feet and followed his advisor down the hall.  
  
"She's, she's gone my lord!" The serving maid came out of the door in tears.  
  
The lady Theoden had been sickly ever since Theodred had come home with some strange illness that no healer in all of Rohan could quite place.  
  
Theoden sighed and stepped into the room, first Eomund's wife and now his own. The castle was now suddenly bereft of a woman's influence and Theoden knew that little Eowyn and Eomer would need that care.  
  
"Take her body to be prepared for burial please. And take the children, including Theodred to the study to the tutor please." Theoden ordered his advisor.  
  
"Yes, sire." The advisor nodded and left to do his duty.  
  
Bad times had fallen upon Rohan, Theoden could feel this was just the beginning.  
  
~  
  
That's the end kids! Oh no. But fear not my dearly beloved reviewers! The second volume is immediately on it's way! The name is Spoil of Rohan, I picked a different name! Get ready for it everyone! Takes place 18 years after this story! Have fun! 


End file.
